Vote NERVE GAS

[bvanevery]

Details behold the mask of doom

behold the mask of doom

It's time for midterm elections in the United States!  In a bright dystopian future somewhere far away, Commissioner Pravin Lal is thinking similarly.  How can I get the People to accept nerve gas?  It is so useful, in so many ways.  If only Planet understood that it's a human thing.  We want to do this to each other, it's nothing personal.  Please just grow your fungal stalks as always and leave us to our war.

Details gas early and often

gas early and often

In version 1.25 of my SMACX AI Growth mod, nerve gas is available almost immediately at the start of the game.  That's because the consequences of using nerve gas so early are horrific!  Planet throws a fit.  Deluges and mindworms everywhere.  Low chance of survival, and even if you do, likely to be nuked by an angry faction midgame.  My last attempt at this was a complete debacle.  I am hoping this time to deploy a new secret weapon: voting.

Details normalizing genocide

normalizing genocide

See, for reasons that only the Firaxis expansion pack authors can fathom, you get a free pass using chemical weapons against Alien factions.  Possibly because they don't engage in Commerce with humans, so you can't impose Sanctions on them.  Nor can they participate in the Planetary Council.  Gasification without representation: that's not fair!  We don't happen to have that issue in this game, it's an all human cohort.  Random opponents, Transcend difficulty, on a Standard size map.

Details the Governator

the Governator

My plan is to mollycoddle and horswoggle the other factions into accepting my Planetary lead.  Becoming Governor won't get me any more votes for a Council proposal, that will probably take outright bribery.  But it will get me Veto power, which can help me keep my proposal in place once I've attained it.

Details I propose you all die

I propose you all die

That last measure, "Repeal UN Charter" is the one I'm interested in.  In my mod it is available early in the game, from Doctrine: Loyalty.  Same tech that offers Fundamentalist politics.  The counterpart, "Reinstate UN Charter", is available with Ethical Calculus.  Same tech that offers Democratic politics.  I think if real world humans could make these kinds of decisions post WW I, we shouldn't have to wait a long time to ponder weighty matters in space.

[bvanevery]

Details between a rock and a hard ridge

between a rock and a hard ridge

Mission Year 2101.  I've started amidst a profitable river system.  I don't have any supply pods adjacent so I will settle my capitol immediately.

Worth noting: for version 1.25 I have increased the penalty for a defending Noncombat unit to 100%.  That means colony pods will die when attacked by mindworm larvae, even on Turn 1.  Combat units don't have this problem, they can survive early mindworm hits.  So, immediate settlement of the 1st colonist, and escort of the 2nd, is a very good idea.

[After completing this AAR, I decided this Noncombat penalty wasn't a necessary feature for version 1.25 of my mod.  Mainly because it doesn't solve the "armored probe team exploit" problem, which you'll see examples of later.  So version 1.25 has the same setting as the original game, 50% penalty.]

Details Planet has an innie

Planet has an innie

Especially on a Standard size map.  I'm pretty much guaranteed a competitor in this immediate area.  The Garland Crater is to the east, and the Pholus Ridge is to the west.  The Crater is more valuable so I will head east.

[bvanevery]

Details focus on the basics exploring and killing

focus on the basics exploring and killing

MY 2102.  I am asked how I want to direct my research.  In my mod, the AI plays Lal as a Passive leader, not much disposed to making war.  I keep the AI defaults, because that helps me playtest how the AI might do in the game.

With Lal's factional advantages, he can afford to sit back and make bigger cities.  "Explore" really means colonization and growth technologies, which is what he needs to get votes.  He can expect to have some rough customers opposing his Democratic politics though, so he stays well armed.  My mod is overwhelmingly dominated by Conquer techs, because that's what Firaxis actually put into the game.  I sorted everything out into different categories, so all the armors and weapons etc. are in Conquer techs, not Explore, Discover, or Build techs.  Some categories do overlap, but it's still mostly a Conquer show. 

Details it is not about the mindworms anymore

it is not about the mindworms anymore

The Empath Guild comes late in my mod, and is also deemed a Conquer tech.  In my view, Diplomatic Victory is just an abbreviated form of conquest.  Homo Superior is a Tier 6 tech that also makes Thought Control available.  That's a long time away, late midgame at the earliest.  I am guaranteed 2x votes over anyone else for at least half the game, so all I have to do is make sure I get big.

[bvanevery]

Details unwanted guests

unwanted guests

MY 2111.  A mindworm appears unbidded to the west, indicating the presence of a near neighbor in that direction.  Simultaneously, an unmet Cybernetic Consciousness settles a city on the Crater to the east.  I have not yet managed to make an additional colony pod, as I didn't have much food to start with.  In my mod, Lal does get a hefty +2 GROWTH bonus at least though.  I did pop a Nutrient next to my capitol, and in 3 turns I will grow to size 2.  However I don't know if I'll have the cash to rush production.  Even then, I'll have to travel along the admittedly wonderful river system to get to the Crater.  And not make contact with the Cyborgs meanwhile, so that I can intrude innocently on Cyborg land.

[bvanevery]

Details the other orange haired world leader

the other orange haired world leader

MY 2112.  I think I can presume the mindworm to the west was generated by Miriam.  Unless this part of the world is really crowded.  TBH I could totally see a Fundamentalist government working for me.  In my mod it's very similar to Police State.

Details in the words of the late Charlton Heston

in the words of the late Charlton Heston

However it won't be to please her!  Now the "good" news is, in version 1.25 nobody gets a real weapon at the beginning of the game.  Even strength 2 and 3 lasers are Tier 3 techs.  We can definitely have a rockfight.  I'm good at rockfighting.  It may interfere with my settlement plans depending on how close she is though.  I don't think I'll change my research focus as I'm already doing Explore, Conquer.

Details stomping through the tulips

stomping through the tulips

Timely!  R-Lasers are only strength 2 in my mod, but it's still enough to wipe out Miriam's Scouts and destroy her bases.  I have a lot less to worry about now.

[bvanevery]

Details send in the clones

send in the clones

MY 2114.  The game must really like me.  I've gained an egregiously useful double cloning of a Unity Rover I picked up earlier.  This clone posse shall head straight to Miriam for an orange rubber nosing!

This turn I finally have the cash to rush a colony pod.  I don't think I'll send it to the Crater as there's a war on.  I have a much more immediately useful site to the south of my capitol.  TBH as fun as the Crater may be, it takes awhile to develop those resources.

[bvanevery]

Details artillery is the king of battle

artillery is the king of battle

MY 2117.  In version 1.25 of my mod, heavy artillery is available almost immediately.  This is to keep parity with Doctrine: Flexibility, which is also a Tier 1 tech.  Everyone should have equal opportunity shelling.  Even with strength 1 weapons, it's effective against Scouts.  Doubt I'll bother with the forces I've got though.  My best bet is probably to make more cities to get my minerals and support up.

Details boy am I glad to see you

boy am I glad to see you

I'm glad I didn't divert that Scout from its explorations to the southwest.  It's good to know who might be creeping up on you.  We sign a Treaty and I sign off.

[bvanevery]

Details the suicidal are supposed to wear bomb vests

the suicidal are supposed to wear bomb vests

MY 2118.  Strangely, Miriam did not move this Colony Pod out of the way.  I wonder if another enemy is nearby, exerting a zone of control?  If she thinks this will stall me from getting to her base, it's not a good move.  The Battle Ogre is coming, although maybe she hasn't cheated enough to know that.  Anyways with the new 100% Noncombat penalty, it's going to be trivial to execute these colonists.  I've got such a large force, let's see if she'll actually surrender to me!

Details the beatings shall continue until the morale improves

the beatings shall continue until the morale improves

Nope.  She probably thinks she can get away in an escape pod if nothing else.  I'm wise to that.  I'll just beat her down to eventually make her my puppet.  I need at least 1 puppet on the Planetary Council to ensure that my Veto can never be overridden.  Plus I need votes in my pocket anyways.

Details eat it Miriam

eat it Miriam

It wasn't even a fair fight.  A slightly wounded Scout took no additional wounds running the machine guns over everyone's heads.  You know, atrocity prohibitions... why am I allowed to execute unarmed colonists?  Is it some kind of plausible deniability thing?  "Oh, there wasn't a base, so..."

Details facing your imminent destruction

facing your imminent destruction

If there is another enemy, it would have to be to the northwest of New Jerusalem.  There is no wounded unit in the city, so I don't think they got attacked by a mindworm.  Unless they are in control of the Manifold Nexus and captured a mindworm.  If they still have only 1 Scout defending next turn, then the city is mine!  Otherwise I wait for the Ogre.

[bvanevery]

Details scoutworthy

scoutworthy

MY 2118.  I know I said I'm good at rockfighting, but I didn't expect it to be that easy.  I suppose a Scout is infantry and does get a 25% attack bonus against a base.  Miriam could have attacked me on her turn and gotten the benefit of her faction's 25% attack bonus.  However, her Scout would then be too weak to defend, so I'd still take her base.  She would have taken out 1 of my units for the trouble though.

Details Im bad Im bad Im loaded Im bad

Im bad Im bad Im loaded Im bad

I gave her 1 last chance to see reason and surrender to me, but she ignored my communications.  So I wiped out her size 1 capitol!  Will she surrender now?  Nope!  What a loser.  Well I guess if I proceed with the plan, I leave her to the 1 city in the Garland Crater.  Making sure she doesn't have any others, but the immediate borders don't look like there's anything else.

[bvanevery]

Details closing for the kill

closing for the kill

MY 2123.  Using bad tactics, I lost 2 of my Scout Rovers to her 1.  I forgot about her attack bonus.  She didn't attack the 1st turn she could, which confused me as to her perceived sense of safety. 

I don't think she's going to surrender to me.  I think I will destroy her city, then colonize right on top of where it stood.  Then go meet the Cyborgs.  If they give me lip, I'll destroy them too.

[bvanevery]

Details th th th th th th th thats all folks

th th th th th th th thats all folks

MY 2125.  This was so easy, I almost wonder if I'm really playing Transcend.  Probably the real reason is, I'm playing on a Standard map.  I'm used to playing Huge or Enormous.  Anybody in close proximity on Standard can definitely be wiped out.

[bvanevery]

Details half a crater

half a crater

I make my claim on the northwest part of the Garland Crater.  None too soon as I saw the flicker of a Scout moving just east of UN Planetary Trust.  It's time to go meet the robots!

Details a treat with thee

a treat with thee

Definitely a much better neighbor than the Believers.  She won't ally or trade techs though.  She's probably ahead of me, with her +1 RESEARCH bonus.  She didn't claim to know any other comm frequencies either.

[bvanevery]

Details keep your enemies close

keep your enemies close

MY 2128.  This will give me helpful intel on my neighbors.  Worth noting: in my mod, Foil Probe Teams are available as a predefined unit.  The AI makes heavy use of them!  Sea bases are extremely vulnerable to subversion early in the game.  That isn't much fun unless you leave one out as "bait" for a distant faction, so that you can counter-infiltrate and steal a tech.  I will send out a Foil Probe Team to search for factions.

Also worth noting: Foil and Cruiser chasses are 1/2 the cost of the regular game.  Sea battles are sort of an easy come, easy go thing, because the costs are comparable to land units and the movement rates are higher.

[bvanevery]

Details probing is Cyborg language

probing is Cyborg language

MY 2143.  The completion of my 1st land probe team, triggers communication from the Cyborgs.  Leading to some comm exchange, tech exchange, and an alliance!

Details triangle of doom

triangle of doom

The Cyborgs had the wreck of the USS Unity near their territory.  Her map info tells me where some of the other factions are.  I'm surprised to see a clump of them so near me to the west.  Was Yang cheeky, or have I just been preoccupied and presumptive?  Time to go pester him about it.  Uuuh, he doesn't wanna talk.  Typical!  Well I could send a probe team eventually.

[bvanevery]

Details gold plated contacts

gold plated contacts

MY 2144.  The Consciousness meets the University, and I gain their comm frequency from my ally.  Before I can use it, I run into a University scout myself.  We sign a Treaty.  He gouges me for Morgan's comm frequency.

Details a bargain at a hundredth of the price

a bargain at a hundredth of the price

Morgan knows where Cha Dawn is, but wants way too much for the info.  It'll have to wait.  I hope his Belligerence softens, although it's probably due to my use of a Planned economy.  I'm not married to it, I just don't have a better option right now.

Details well just die yourself then

well just die yourself then

What a piece of work!  Just like that, no additional discussion.  I suspect he'll have a hard time getting over Yang's borders, as I doubt they will ally.  Could become a probe team war though.

Details the middle kingdoms

the middle kingdoms

The Cyborgs got a map of University territory, including some of the Morganites.