Passive Aggressive Tactics - SMACX AI Growth mod version 1.46

[bvanevery]

Details probe team gets attention

probe team gets attention

MY 2185.  She talks, but nothing changes.  I position myself for theft next year.

Details unsustainable

unsustainable

Taking their food worked better than expected.

[bvanevery]

Details blocked

blocked

MY 2186.  Enterprising use of a Former, keeps their tech safe.  I knew that could happen, but I didn't want to go head-to-head with their armored probe team.

Details hi Zach

hi Zach

My Isle steams towards destiny... he signs a Treaty.

[bvanevery]

Details losing it

losing it

MY 2187.  Santiago makes a stupid move and loses her Artifact to my Elite Recon Rover.

Details gaining it

gaining it

I spend 2 Artifacts and a lot of money to rush the Planetary Datalinks.

[bvanevery]

Details shiny city

shiny city

MY 2188.  I steal B3 Ecological Engineering and begin the Weather Paradigm.

[bvanevery]

Details assault

assault

MY 2189.  Fort Superiority is going to fall soon, one way or another.

[bvanevery]

Details you bother me

you bother me

MY 2190.  Roze contacts me out of the blue for no good reason.  Nothing changes.

Details shore trick

shore trick

I've mostly completed my rail network.  With some extra Speeder Formers, I want to make the terrain around this base a little more accessible.  It hasn't gotten much attention because of all the fungus in the way.  When moving a Speeder Former from a Transport to the shore, I can start work on a road immediately.  Instead of having to lose a turn, and also risk stirring up a mindworm.

Details convoy

convoy

Once again I blunder into the Spartan foil.  I could have tried to mind control it, but I had a feeling it would be more expensive than I was willing to pay.  This time I will wipe it out with a Boil Isle though.

[bvanevery]

Details lucky me

lucky me

MY 2191.  They took the bait.  They attacked my Synth Foil defended in the fungus and got themselves killed!  Never get rid of old units, unless it's to rush a Secret Project or something like that.  You can find a use for them.

Details trashed

trashed

It's glorious to hit someone in the rear, with free mindworms!  This is probably the most successful rearguard action I've ever done.  Granted, against a pathetic, weak enemy, that could have been pushed over all kinds of ways.  I'm hardly exerting any effort on the home front, in fact most of my cities are building Network Nodes.  My only regret is this isn't passive enough.  But for payoffs like this, who's complaining?  Plenty of time to get passive aggressive with the Cyborgs, once the Spartans are out of the way and we're in direct contact.  Won't be long now.

If it needed to be said, Santiago refuses to be my thrall.

Details basic tech

basic tech

I steal B2 Industrial Economics.  The Cyborgs only have this 1 coastal base on this side of the continent, so that's pretty much it for using Skimship Probe Teams.  The only tech remaining to steal is D1 Biogenetics.  I know that Santiago doesn't have it, and I don't know what Miriam has at all.  Everyone else has it.  That's the problem with the Planetary Datalinks: if everyone has already learned something, you're not going to acquire it that way.  Of course being a Tier 1 tech it could pop form a supply pod eventually, but it hasn't happened.

[bvanevery]

Details ironic homecoming

ironic homecoming

MY 2193.  My Skimship Probe Team returned to base in the middle of my landlocked lake.  I think it's going to be stuck there forever, because digging a canal at Balance of Nature, would ruin a Nutrient resource on the shore.  I don't want that.  At least it can permanently defend Great Intertwining.  Santiago has finally started making armored probe teams to come mess with me.  I'll have to either defend against them or get on with destroying Hero's Waypoint, as there's definitely a risk of being taken over.  I suppose I could be really cheeky and make Tau Ceti Memory my new capitol!   

I don't want the advancing probe team to land on forest next to my city.  I put 2 Speeder Formers on that square, so that they can't be subverted.  I didn't have anything cheaper available.  Somehow, most stuff was in the middle something.  To advance, the team will have to move onto open ground, where it will be summarily killed by my Unity Mining Drill.  All the mindworms are busy on Santiago's backline, and I haven't managed to bring any home with the Unity Lifter yet.  Just having 2 would greatly speed up my destruction of Santiago's enclaves.

Details passing attack

passing attack

Just realized, with my 1 air unit, I could "walk" my mindworms right past the intervening Fungal Tower and wipe out the defenders at Parade Ground.  In fact I probably could have done it without any air cover.  However while trying to position myself, I stirred up 2 mindworms.  If they go to useful targets, great!  Otherwise, offensive failed.

[bvanevery]

Details insinuated

insinuated

MY 2194.  This time I artfully dodge the armored probe team, pin the Formers so that they can't block my way, and steal E2 Doctrine: Loyalty.  I didn't expect that.  I just started researching it myself, and I didn't think the Cyborgs had it.  I'm not complaining!  Now I start on D2 Secrets of the Human Brain, to get the Virtual world.  I've been building Network Nodes everywhere, so might as well benefit.  And might as well pick up the free tech bonus while I'm at it.  Even Zhakarov hasn't learned it yet.

It's going to be more difficult to steal from the Cyborgs now.  I've run out of near-coastal territories in easy reach.  Next best target is Alpha Prime on the other side of the continent.  I'll convoy out there, but it may be some time getting there.

Details combo assault

combo assault

If the 3 mindworms can take the base, then I'll be able to immediately land with the Lifter and give it a police garrison.  If not, well it will probably fall next year.

Details a hangup

a hangup

I was wondering where the 3rd unit had gone.  It had just built something, but I didn't see it in the city.  If it can disengage into the city, then it lives to attack my wounded Great Boils.  If it can't disengage that way, then I can block it from behind with my Lifter.  I've also got 2 Unity Rovers in Fort Superiority, but I think they would just die wounding it and not get the job done.  So I'm going to hope it doesn't get to enter the city.  Sadly, it did jump back into the city, so there was nothing I could do.  But it's pretty torn up, 50% wounds.  It's only Disciplined so maybe it's in no position to counterattack next year.  For extra pressure, I move up the 2 Unity Rovers to strike next year, or take the base once others have done the job.

[bvanevery]

Details finally

finally

A great victory for the Caretakers, over a wimpy foe!!!
 
 

Now I can really get passive aggressive with the Cyborgs.  Build a rail and then - what - plant fungus everywhere?  I'll need to think about it.  For now, it seems like my Independent mindworms should be wandering all over Cyborg territory.  Because really, where else would they go?  Unless Miriam, who I'll finally be meeting soon, proves cantankerous.

[bvanevery]

Details Aki on the move

Aki on the move

MY 2197.  The Cyborgs have some probe teams headed my way.  Maybe I'm going to need some mindworms to corral or block them?  However, I'd rather use my mindworms to starve one of their cities.  I'm guessing that no diplomatic relation, means I can deprive them of the use of resources, like in a Truce.  Maybe I'll just have to build probe teams.  I don't really want to, I'm kinda busy.  Formers?

Yeah, maybe enough of a railhead, could get in the way.  "Oh I'm so sorry Aki.  We do have a railway coming through that region.  It will make trade so much easier between us."  Yes, that would be very passive aggressive.  As long as I can funnel the probe teams into one spot, and she doesn't spam overwhelm me.  Maybe an entire battle line of mindworms and doubled up Formers.  I can add Clean units when I have the time, but right now I've got too many "basic infrastructure" things that need building.  Yeah, I think my existing mindworms are going to have to be my front line.

[bvanevery]

Details do you want peaceful coexistence

do you want peaceful coexistence

MY 2198.  Aki decides she wants to talk to me.  Can't imagine why.  If you're going to talk to someone, you should be prepared to have something to say.  I can drop harassing her and just go after someone I only have a Truce with.  But she has to want that.  It's not about you: it's about me!  How passive aggressive is that?

Oooh, Quarrelsome.  Shaking in my boots.  I've never seen the AI, ever, kill a unit they threatened to kill.

Details Aha!

Aha!

This is how I'm going to get rid of her probe teams.  Stir up mindworms and herd them to her.  Now a given area may eventually become unstirrable.  But it will sure be fun while it lasts.  Very passive aggressive!

I probably need new superlatives.

Details rapid rails

rapid rails

With 3 Artifacts and a wad of cash, I have enough to rush the Weather Paradigm.  I think I will link my land to Domai's and make him a special part of me.

[bvanevery]

Details getting her attention

getting her attention

MY 2199.  I do have a 2nd probe team in the region if she gets uppity with me about anything.  Actually she signs a straightforward Treaty, which is more than I can say of most.  Perhaps it's time to check on whether others are feeling friendly.  I infiltrate her.  Unsurprisingly, she does not have worthwhile tech.

Details asking for it

asking for it

The game thinks she's UNSURPASSED.  I don't.  On the other hand, I don't have her map.

Details good salesman

good salesman

I wonder if Aki will ever want a formal relationship?  It's almost buglike, this recalcitrance.  I check on her, and she wants Miriam's comm frequency.  Now in my mod they're arch enemies!  Each wants the other to engage in Social Engineering choices that they cannot.  So yes, by all means, fight Miriam.  In fact I should find a way to land bridge the two of them.  I actually did that 2 games ago, and it was fun to watch them hurt each other.  After they had been "wonderful allies" for such a long time at my expense.  Just took ground contact for them to see the error of their ways.

As usual, no diplomatic status.

[bvanevery]

Details renegotiation

renegotiation

MY 2201.  I sailed past his lands and he didn't fret.  What's up with him now?  Well he's a bloody Socialist, that's what's.  If you're going to declare war, you shouldn't lead with an unarmored Transport. 

Details sunk

sunk

Goes down with 2 infantry on it.  Glub glub!  Will Roze sign a Treaty now?  (Nope.)  And he's got Ethical Calculus.  I can steal that.

Details speartip

speartip

I didn't think of this land as an invasion scaffold, but we can definitely do that.

[bvanevery]

Details I want that

I want that

MY 2202.  I'm getting nearer to stealing from her.  Just picked up B2 Ethical Calculus from the Planetary Datalinks.  She summons me:

Details really why

really why

Same old guff about units.  I'm not reporting on this anymore.

Details how to die

how to die

I've been unable to get the 1st mindworm to attack the probe team.  Maybe it needs more room to maneuver, so I've backed off some.  For awhile I hoped to force the 2nd probe team to walk over fungus in the vicinity of the Borehole Complex, and thereby trip over a mindworm.  That didn't bring about any movement, so I backed off.  While doing so, I spawned a mindworm.  Then I had to come forward again because I don't actually want it to tear up the boreholes.  Hopefully the probe team will get killed next year.