The Obnoxious Factory - SMACX AI Growth mod 1.27

[bvanevery]

3:45 PM.  With a new tech tree, I begin as Morgan.  I will keep his Explore, Build focus.  I might even pay some people to leave me alone.  The biggest change from Morgan's standpoint, is that ECONOMY is now split between Capitalist and Democratic, +1 for each.  I also removed the +1 ECONOMY bonus from Eudaimonia, taking some money out of the game.  Best you can get from SE choices is Democratic Capitalist Wealth for +3 ECONOMY.  Morgan gets +2 for his faction alone, bringing it to the SE table max of +5.

I had a ratty start, bad land, fungus everywhere, so I walked my colony pods in opposite directions until I settled on some rivers without fungus next to my cities.  I contacted Zhakarov and Miriam.  I've blown pretty much all of my money buying techs from Zhakarov.

Details violent Miriam

violent Miriam

MY 2125.  I don't like taking guff from anyone.  Miriam had a Battle Ogre on my land that she wasn't withdrawing.  I walked my Scout onto her land, figuring I'd provoke her ire.  Then when she bugged me about it, I'd tell her to withdraw her own troops too.  Well, she just declared war on me instead.  Ogre guns aren't as strong as in the stock game, but they're still strength 3 and I've got Scouts.  The graph says I'm nominally more powerful than her, but this is likely to go very badly for me.

If I can stall out the Ogre I might be ok though.  In this version I made C2 Monopole Magnets a prereq for both strength 3 Lasers and strength 3 Plasma armor.  I put the Planetary Transit System on it because I didn't have anywhere else to put it.  This is probably going to make it more difficult for anyone to trade Laser technology.  Plasma technology is already blocked by the Citizens' Defense Force.  I will switch to Conquer and see if I can fight Miriam off.

In the version I'm testing, Miriam has no RESEARCH penalties, no compulsion to go Fundamentalist, and no Fanatic attack bonus.  However I did give her +1 MORALE and I've made her Aggressive.  We're about to see whether that was a good idea on my part.  Fighting Conqueror Marr would be worse, due to his ability to direct his research.

Details poor Christian decision making

poor Christian decision making

MY 2126.  Surprisingly, Miriam does not attack with her Ogre, even though she could totally blow my Scout to bits.  I will take that behavior for as long as I can!  With only 2 cities I need all the help I can get.  I looked at the unit's AI "plan" just to make sure I didn't do something dumb with it.  I set it to "-1 Autocalculate" a long time ago.  The stock value is "0 Offensive".  Well the main armament isn't all that tough and the armor isn't invulnerable to stuff, especially not mindworms, so I don't know how the AI ultimately feels about Battle Ogres.

I went for the new version of Democratic already, to make more money.  It's +1 ECONOMY +1 JUSTICE -2 POLICE, so I've had to adjust my budget to 30-30-40 to keep people happy.

MY 2129.  The Ogre is still sitting there doing nothing.  I wonder if it somehow fixated on arriving at the Monolith, where a Supply Pod used to be.  It is now in danger of being attacked by a half-wounded mindworm larva over a stretch of fungus.

Meanwhile in the excitement, I completely forgot to switch to a Conquer focus.  Now I've done so.  It will be 22 years before my next tech though.  I think that's a consequence of all the early trading I did with Zhakarov.

Details Christians can't steer Ogres

Christians can't steer Ogres

MY 2133.  The original larva wandered off, but the Ogre has somehow now taken a wound.  I believe it's trying to explore unknown territory to the north, and it thinks my Scout is a barrier for some reason.  Could it be that when Miriam declared Vendetta, the treatment of enemy units didn't get reset?  The Ogre probably just tried to move east into the fungus, and got a face full of mindworm for its trouble.  Maybe the Ogre will soon be on the move, but I'll take a half dead Ogre over a full strength one.

Details Christian settlement concepts

Christian settlement concepts

MY 2136.  The Ogre is finally moving.  It seems to be trying to link up with a Colony Pod.  Now we'll see how smart or dumb the AI is.  I've positioned a Scout on Rocky river ground with a nice defense bonus.  If the AI is very dumb, it'll shoot at that.  If it has half a brain, it'll shoot at my other Scout.

Details tales of foolish Christian movement

tales of foolish Christian movement

MY 2141.  The colonist kept going, then stopped.  So I sent my other Scout 'round back to come up to kill it.  Miriam bothered me as I approached, wanted me to pay money to her.  Since I know she's stupid about moving her troops, I refused.  She could have easily destroyed my city by now if she had any brains at all, but lucky for me, she does not!  If she doesn't move off next turn, that colonist is dead.  Meanwhile I've completed a Command Center and am starting to produce better trained Scouts.

Details Christian city siting

Christian city siting

MY 2143.  An approaching wounded mindworm forced me to move away from my nice defensive position.  I hope I can get the Ogre to take that little bit of wound in the face.  I've cut off the colonist, it will surely die.  I don't know how Miriam's doing overall, but locally, I'm clearly outpacing Miriam on getting cities together and spawning units.  This Ogre problem will be over pretty soon.

MY 2145.  I research Industrial Base and go Capitalist, which gives me +1 ECONOMY +1 INDUSTRY -2 PLANET.  I get a map of Miriam's territory from Zhakarov.  She's only got 2 cities.  Zhakarov won't trade me anything for Industrial Base, because he's working on the Planetary Datalinks.  I made Secrets of the Human Brain a D2 tech and put the Datalinks on it, figuring that project is best to have early, and not terribly harmful to game balance in any event.  I did get a number of techs from Zhakarov initially.  I'm inclined to think that slowing down the tech trading economy, due to his desire to build the Datalinks, is a good thing.

I do believe I got the Ogre to eat a little mindworm, but I don't think it got much wounded for doing that.  The colonist is still alive because it hid in some fungus.  It has enough defensive advantage on the fungus that 1 Scout can't kill it.  I'm bringing a 2nd.  We shall see if the Ogre moves to attack my city now.  It's fairly wounded so I'm not that worried.

MY 2149.  I've killed the colonist, at the cost of 1 Scout.  The Ogre has ceased its forward motion because I have it blocked by a Scout on Rocky terrain.

MY 2154.  I see an approaching mindworm larva and run away, leaving the Ogre to step forward and take it full in the face.  It's 70% wounded now.  I call it a non-threat that's tying up 1 Scout to hold it at bay.

[bvanevery]

MY 2158.  Zhakarov signs a Pact.  I don't bother to ask him to fight Miriam.  They're not connected by land, and I'd rather have Miriam surrender to me anyways.  Zhakarov has tech of use to me, like Synthmetal, but he's not trading anything due to both the Planetary Datalinks and the Planetary Transit System.  I hadn't thought about the possibility of a Tier 2 Secret Project restricting other Tier 2 tech trades, or even Tier 1 trades.  I guess we'll see how this game goes.  Neither one of us has met anyone else yet.  I'm exploring land to the east and will be settling there normally.  I will simply hold Miriam at bay until I'm finally ready to put her out of her misery.  With all the money I'm making as a Democratic Capitalist, I don't see how she's going to out-research me.

MY 2171.  I find High Energy Chemistry in a supply pod, giving me Synthmetal.  I have already researched Monopole Magnets.  I think I will quit worrying about Conquer techs and just turtle up now.  Miriam can't do anything to me.  The most she's sent my way is a Scout Rover.  I put a Scout on some rocks and she begged off.  As I'm less interested in how the AI sees things, and more interested in polluting the planet to the detriment of us all, I switch to a pure Build focus.

MY 2175.  Crap!  A -2 PLANET penalty means that when I attack a pre-Boil mindworm with a Hardened Scout, my Scout can die.  I save scum the turn, because a Former just happens to complete the moment I lose the combat, leaving me with nothing to protect the city.  My attack odds were merely 6 to 5.

Details providence on the battlefield

providence on the battlefield

MY 2177.  The Ogre got hit by another mindworm from somewhere.  As it was 90% wounded, I finally finish it off with my Scout.  I am starting to make Synthmetal Sentinels now.  Perhaps if I gather up all my Scouts, I can whack Miriam and force her surrender.

Details who wants mindworm soup

who wants mindworm soup

MY 2178.  I just realized the Manifold Nexus is directly south of us.  I'm going to grab it.

[bvanevery]

MY 2203.  I have long since surrounded the Manifold Nexus with 3 cities.  It's quite far from Miriam's territory and her empire is still abysmal.  Zhakarov's island is actually attached to the mainland now, he is closer.  We still have a Pact and they have a Treaty, a status quo I'm fine with.  Miriam has finally researched Synthmetal and has come to bug me with it, but it should not be confused for an offensive weapon!  Unless you're an AI, har har har.  She killed one of her Synthmetals trying to attack my own Synthmetal defended in my city, boy that was stupid of her.  I've fenced off the area with a couple of Scouts and have prevented any colonists from spreading farther towards me.  Pretty much all of my cities are making Formers so that I can get my land making me money and a proper rail network built.

Details pink whippersnapper

pink whippersnapper

I meet Cha Dawn at sea.  95 credits to talk to the Cyborgs is not exactly a bargain, but I am rich, and he is Ambivalent.  Better get it while I can.  Cha Dawn has the virtue of being much more willing to trade than Zhakarov is, not having all these advanced technologies and Secret Projects to work on.  We trade a lot of techs and we sign a Treaty.  He hates my Democracy of course, so instead of our ending relationship being Magnanimous, it's Noncommittal.  He knows the comm frequencies of Deirdre and Santiago, but I didn't have the cash to buy them.

The Cyborgs turn out to be a bit of a pill.  They sign a Treaty but don't trust me enough to sell me commlink frequencies.  I sell their frequency to Zhakarov and he obtains a map.  They are northeast of me, separated by water, although there may be a continuous land link far to the east.

The Spartans are up there as well.  They are as runty as the Believers.  I'm not sure why they both had so much trouble.  It's the Believers' fault that they declared war on me, and even having done that, they had plenty of land to expand into.  The AI just didn't do it.  Maybe the Spartans got put on the backside of the Cyborgs with no room?  I'll see eventually.

MY 2208.  I learn Industrial Economics.  I begin the Merchant Exchange in my capitol and Energy Banks everywhere else.

I get Cha Dawn talking again.  He is Seething and wants a massive 105 credits for Deirdre's commlink.  The latter will probably declare war on me, but I go for it anyways.  Yeah, predictable.  Cold dead fingers.  But all I need now is the Spartans and it could be an election.  Do I have the votes though?

I trade the Gaian comm frequency to Zhakarov.  He obtains a map.  They are far to the north.  The Cult is on the same continent, running in a band along the Gaians' southern border.  So that's how the world looks.  Geographically I'm pretty isolated, and only have to worry about my ally Zhakarov when I finally turn to Wealth.

MY 2211.  Against my better judgment, I loan Zhakarov money.

MY 2212.  I now have a complete rail network in my home territory.  I'm still working on connecting my 3 cities around the Manifold Nexus.

MY 2215.  The Cyborgs loosen up, sell me Santiago's frequency, and trade a lot of tech.  From the Spartans I acquire Applied Physics.  Now I have the tools to completely destroy Miriam... just as soon as the Merchant Exchange gets done.  Which will be a bit yet.

I contact Deirdre, trying to position myself for a successful election.  We sign a Truce.  Deirdre is Democratic, which surely rubs their neighbor the Cult of Planet the wrong way.

Details who de man

who de man

My analysis is correct.  Other factions hate me less than Deirde and abstain.  I am Governor!

[bvanevery]

MY 2228.  I learn Environmental Economics and begin the Planetary Energy Grid, switching from the Weather Paradigm that I started earlier.  If I could just learn Industrial Automation I could really start putting stuff away.  As it is, many factions are working on Secret Projects.

MY 2231.  The Gaians start the Weather Paradigm, so I switch my Secret Projects back and rush it with cash.

Details toxic

toxic

MY 2238.  I can get some serious eco-damage going now!  Yet of all the stupid things I don't know how to do, I haven't learned E2 Adaptive Economics that gives Hab Complex.  Zhakarov has had it since forever, but he stopped trading techs eons ago.

Details who is the best builder

who is the best builder

MY 2246.  The Secret Project races have finally calmed down.  I've done better than the rest, but I didn't dominate.  I'm at war with everyone except my ally Zhakarov, and he's getting sick of my Wealth.  He still won't sell me any techs.  What a jerk!

Details arch sniveller

arch sniveller

MY 2259.  Zhakarov raises snivelling to a high art form.  Unfortunately I am not his patron.  So now our Pact is over.   Soon there will be war, because I'm not giving up my Wealth, and I wouldn't mind having the Secret Projects he built.  Meanwhile the campaign against Miriam proceeds.  I've got Tree Farms and Genejack Factories in every city, so I'm not actually doing any eco-damage.

MY 2260.  I destroy one of Miriam's unwalled cities.  She isn't ready to surrender so it'll take much more bloodshed.  I'm building Defensive Probe Teams in case Zhakarov tries to pull anything funny.

Details why not chemicals

why not chemicals

MY 2261.  I try to repeal the U.N. Charter, but the majority aren't interested.  Only Zhakarov was bribeable and he wanted way too much money.  So I will plod along with a conventional campaign against the Believers.

MY 2270.  The Believers finally surrender to my overwhelming force.

I find myself too tired and bored to continue the game!  I don't like the lack of tech trading in the beginning.  It's not supposed to be difficult to get Tier 2 techs, yet here I am midgame, still don't have Hab Complexes.

I'm thinking that Soporific Gas Pods undo my careful balance of weapons vs. armor.  The AI doesn't ever make Gas units, so it becomes an exploit for the human player.  I think it's time to remove that from the game.

I don't think I'm going to generate any global flooding.  If I build Tree Farms before Genejack Factories, I do very little eco-damage even when I've got -3 PLANET.   

I haven't tested the new Cruiser speed, nor the new Needlejet speed, nor the new Locusts on a Copter chassis, nor the new missiles, nor the earlier orbital drop warfare, nor the earlier Gravships.  That's an awful lot of stuff.  I'm not sure how I'm going to find the testing time to get there.

3:30 AM.  Calling it quits on this AAR.  I know I didn't intend for it to be any good, but this is slipshod even by that standard.