Aranfan
Team Plasma Grunt
Proves that this is a quest with staying power, with gravity, and of quality.
Meguca Micro Empire Quest (PMMM)
- Thread starter inverted_helix
- Start date
Proves that this is a quest with staying power, with gravity, and of quality.
You apparently don't understand how base plans work. At least, if you're using NetTally to tally the votes; if you're using Firn's program, it won't work (though even then, once I put down a vote in a later post, the early base plan post won't show up at all).
@Kinematics Please remove all the Xs from the above post. Otherwise the vote talley will count this as your vote instead of your actual vote.
Also, most people have already voted. I can't run the tally till I get home (at least 3 hours away, maybe more).
If using NetTally, base plans are "votes that aren't voted for". They're named plans that anyone can vote for, but that don't affect the vote of the person who wrote them down. Even with the above post, I would not be registered as voting for anything at this point in time.
I can then vote for one of them like so:
[-] Plan Money
(with an 'x', of course)
And the tally program will register my vote for that specific plan.
As for people voting, there are only... 6 (see below) people who have actually voted for a trade plan, while I'm sure we have about twice that many discussing things right now. Dunno how many would only show up in hand-counts, though.
For the record, converting existing votes to the base plans I listed, this is the current vote count:
Vote Tally : Meguca Micro Empire Quest (PMMM) | Page 152 | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.5.12
[2] Plan: ◈Info
[2] Plan: ◈Money
[1] Plan: ◈Minimum
[1] Plan: ◈Soul Gem+
Total No. of Voters: 6
##### NetTally 1.5.12
[2] Plan: ◈Info
[1] Plan: ◈Minimum
Total No. of Voters: 6
Shit. Talking these together, most major cities are infested with Class 3 demons and even if they don't actively destroy infrastructure the death toll is going to wreck the global economy. If its gotten to the level where China is willing to quarantine Hong Kong, then we're going to start seeing global political implications and government investigations. We should be able to avoid being hit with masquerade issues by not having Class 3 demons everywhere, but it's another thing we have to worry about.
This is probably a good thing, if they're wasting resources trying to take the Tokyo deathscape, then their not using them to attack us or provide for their vassals. If we can push our territory far enough north, we might even be able to force some concessions from them in return for safe passage.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Also, while the rumor about the NM stocking up for an attack on Tokyo may be false, the fact that they apparently attacked several times before suggests that their leader really does hold the prevention/destruction of class 3s as a primary goal, not just realpolitik.
Selling her those mood boosting songs is seeming like a more and more attractive idea.
Selling her those mood boosting songs is seeming like a more and more attractive idea.
And on that note, looks like I'm alone in my vote. I can understand the vote for just money--we can certainly use the money--but for those looking to get both the soul gem research and the welcome packet: I'm not sure why we'd want the welcome packet. We already know most of what that packet will give us, and we don't really care about the rest. It's definitely not worth $20,000, not the way the basic research on soul gems potentially could be.
@inverted_helix any thoughts on my ideas for Spell Trigger research and specialty cross-training? The consensus seem to be that duration research seems to pay off better by using insulators than my idea of shaping the anchor enchantment, and if we research Secondary Effects we may even be able to enchant an insulator to become more insulating, potentially giving our spell anchors indefinite shelf life, but being able to layer spells, and eventually make spell trigger items seems like it could be an eventual path to making "real" magical items.
Or we could form a defensive pact so that we can serve as an early warning system for escaping Class 3s, which we would then pounce on collectively. If we can get enough Elites together between Nagoya, the non-Serene, and us, we might not need to send in any vets at all, other than our tandem-casting barrier girls and teleport evac team.
@inverted_helix any thoughts on my ideas for Spell Trigger research and specialty cross-training? The consensus seem to be that duration research seems to pay off better by using insulators than my idea of shaping the anchor enchantment, and if we research Secondary Effects we may even be able to enchant an insulator to become more insulating, potentially giving our spell anchors indefinite shelf life, but being able to layer spells, and eventually make spell trigger items seems like it could be an eventual path to making "real" magical items.
Just thought of another way cross-training could be helpful: cross train in Akane's magical cooking so we can open a second restaurant, maybe in Iwata.
In all honesty I don't really understand the spell triggering one. The bound spell is a self contained power, when it's triggered it releases it. There is no battery to it, or rather it is its own battery.
The specialty cross training to some degree is possible, but not to the degree you seem to desire.
The two layering options would be basic research options. Though I'm unsure what advantage you seek from the single-spell layering versus just having multiple copies of the single shot item.
This is the revised hunting config if we use the latest, possibly-accepted Seto teleportation bonus:
Hunting (2.5 elite, 17.0 vets)
Modified by Advanced Detection training (-15% dispatch bonus)
North (Basic RT, Seto Teleportation)
1.5 solo elite [full armor, -2.0% risk]
13.0 pair vets [full armor, 0.0% risk]
>> Cap cubes at 67.9
DS: 0 to 10.0
South (Seto Teleportation)
1.0 solo elite [leather armor, -3.0% risk]
1.5 pair vets [hard leather, -2.0% risk]
DS: 9.9 to -0.1
Cubes: 13.5
Rural
2.5 solo vets [full armor, -1.0% risk]
>> Cap cubes at 7.0
DS: 0
No nomadic hunting.
Gross harvest: 88.4 cubes
Costs: 1 cube (forecasting) + 0.3 (teleportation)
Net harvest: 87.1
Support: 0.5 elite (Seto)
~~ 2.6 cube gain over the current plan, and frees up 0.5 vets.
Hunting (2.5 elite, 17.0 vets)
Modified by Advanced Detection training (-15% dispatch bonus)
North (Basic RT, Seto Teleportation)
1.5 solo elite [full armor, -2.0% risk]
13.0 pair vets [full armor, 0.0% risk]
>> Cap cubes at 67.9
DS: 0 to 10.0
South (Seto Teleportation)
1.0 solo elite [leather armor, -3.0% risk]
1.5 pair vets [hard leather, -2.0% risk]
DS: 9.9 to -0.1
Cubes: 13.5
Rural
2.5 solo vets [full armor, -1.0% risk]
>> Cap cubes at 7.0
DS: 0
No nomadic hunting.
Gross harvest: 88.4 cubes
Costs: 1 cube (forecasting) + 0.3 (teleportation)
Net harvest: 87.1
Support: 0.5 elite (Seto)
~~ 2.6 cube gain over the current plan, and frees up 0.5 vets.
Checking something on the vote count.
[X] Plan Money
[X] Plan Money
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Sorry for freaking out, I'm under a lot of stress right now, as I got to work and discovered my expected 8 hour day became a 12 hour day, with no way to put stuff off and do it tomorrow morning because I'm in the field.
Plus my boss got on my case about not completing a task before stand up despite the scripts not being delivered to me until 15 minutes before hand.
And I can't even get to the work I'm supposed to do because of some mysterious environment failure that no one is left in the office to help me with...
So...
A bit frazzeled.
Plus I have to be up early tomorrow since I'm the hiring manager for the juniors, so I get to go to the college career fairs tomorrow. (I will effectively be offline for 8 hours).
Anyway, I've decided to give up and take the lumps on Friday for not getting this done. Heading home once I post this.
Interesting that they have launched attacks in the past. We might want to coordinate at some point. Need to think about what we can bring to the table.
I don't remember, I think it's just an older version that doesn't have all these new fancy doodads like Base Plans, and other such special cases.
I do not want to mess around with having to download a new version and figure out some new system. I just wanted to come home, run the tally, post it, and go to bed.
Since we are not in a major metropolis we are under the radar, but this is apparently going to cause some major issues. I wonder what the Incubators think of us, as we must be one of the more unique groups to pop up. Our high aversion to deaths has driven us to keep Demon Strength lower, and our aversion to direct conquest attempts has avoided wars driving up DS.
Cooperation is better I think. Though we must be cautious with this group, they are clearly not our friends. Best they can be is an ally based on mutually beneficial goals.
I can think of one huge reason why we want the welcome packet:
A list of their vassals. It's almost certainly part of the welcome packet, if only in the sense of "these are also under our protection, don't fight with them."
That's a HUGE benefit to our information pool, and worth far more than $20k.
Why? Because that gives us a list of contacts for new customers that we can trade cubes to, along with trading information.
I think we are better off using Seto to hunt the Nomadic area up high this turn, and then leaving it fallow next turn. That's probably +4 cubes.
Plus my boss got on my case about not completing a task before stand up despite the scripts not being delivered to me until 15 minutes before hand.
And I can't even get to the work I'm supposed to do because of some mysterious environment failure that no one is left in the office to help me with...
So...
A bit frazzeled.
Plus I have to be up early tomorrow since I'm the hiring manager for the juniors, so I get to go to the college career fairs tomorrow. (I will effectively be offline for 8 hours).
Anyway, I've decided to give up and take the lumps on Friday for not getting this done. Heading home once I post this.
Interesting that they have launched attacks in the past. We might want to coordinate at some point. Need to think about what we can bring to the table.
I don't remember, I think it's just an older version that doesn't have all these new fancy doodads like Base Plans, and other such special cases.
I do not want to mess around with having to download a new version and figure out some new system. I just wanted to come home, run the tally, post it, and go to bed.
Since we are not in a major metropolis we are under the radar, but this is apparently going to cause some major issues. I wonder what the Incubators think of us, as we must be one of the more unique groups to pop up. Our high aversion to deaths has driven us to keep Demon Strength lower, and our aversion to direct conquest attempts has avoided wars driving up DS.
Cooperation is better I think. Though we must be cautious with this group, they are clearly not our friends. Best they can be is an ally based on mutually beneficial goals.
I can think of one huge reason why we want the welcome packet:
A list of their vassals. It's almost certainly part of the welcome packet, if only in the sense of "these are also under our protection, don't fight with them."
That's a HUGE benefit to our information pool, and worth far more than $20k.
Why? Because that gives us a list of contacts for new customers that we can trade cubes to, along with trading information.
I think we are better off using Seto to hunt the Nomadic area up high this turn, and then leaving it fallow next turn. That's probably +4 cubes.
Sounds awful. You have my sympathies.
Well, I've put in a huge amount of effort to make NetTally as hassle-free as possible. It was originally written to get rid of a bunch of annoyances in Firn's program, and grew to make it as easy as possible to deal with all the different types of quirks of quest votes that people encountered.
Mostly, though, you don't have to do much more than hit "Tally", and "Copy to Clipboard". Usually don't even have to set which posts to tally, since it defaults to tallying from the most recent threadmark.
That's an interesting consideration. Incubators like class 3's in order to cull out elites, but from a more pragmatic standpoint, the turf wars that are likely to create a class 3 are also likely to decimate the meguca population (and possibly the surrounding human populations), and that constant cycle has got to be hell on their efficiency calculations.
A stable group that isn't constantly getting killed off due to wars and class 3's, even if it doesn't generate big spikes of grief cubes, also isn't going to go into drought phases where the Incubators have to wait for the humans to recover before they get any returns out of it.
I also think that cooperation is likely to work out better for us in the long run. We will have to eventually pacify the class 3 territories, and manage the grief cube harvesting in the aftermath so that more don't get created. It's a matter of 'when', not 'if'.
I'd honestly rather leave the nomadic area mostly alone. A random feral girl might wander through and take advantage of it (and having a non-overhunted area would be quite a benefit for anyone like that), or we can do occasional sweeps to make sure DS doesn't get too low, but it's not worth our time to overhunt it and let it sink back.
Also, given that helix said that the nomadic hunting efficiency was about half that of a rural area, assigning 1 full elite should only generate 2.3 cubes. There might be a higher multiplier bonus than normal for teleportation in that area (@inverted_helix ?), but getting more than 3 cubes seems rather unlikely. And that requires 1 full Seto, rather than half a Seto for the special teleportation support action.
Made this change
Made this change as well.
Used resulting free vets to train more girls in tandem casting.
2 stealth (remember the third is Kyouko, and she is busy hunting this month, it would cost 0.2.5 elite to train her)
2 clairvoyants (our other two clairs - including Taya who is .25 elite to train - are on dispatch duty)
2 teleporters
2 healers
6 barrier girls (since barrier seems the one we want trained up the fastest.)
I was basing it on the memory that 0.5 Seto provides ~2 in Nomadic territory, her teleport powers giving her the ability to harvest in the nomadic areas far better than others.
@inverted_helix Is that no longer the case?
Hong Kong is a bit far away to worry about at the moment
Accuracy of rumors notwithstanding, it seems that NM has assaulted Tokyo in the past and will again in the future. It would probably build up some goodwill with just about everyone (and possibly protect us from future Class 3s) if we volunteered to go along. In general, this approach of gradually whittling away at the Class 3s by sending an occasional assault force made up of highly skilled and equipped Elites (with Veteran Clairvoyant support) seems like a great way to eventually make Tokyo safe for the minimum amount of risk.
I suspect that this is partially Nagoya propaganda. There's no way that NM was anywhere near as bad as Tokyo is.
Additionally, we're finding ways (i.e. Rotating Tactics) to achieve a higher number of cubes for a given population size than normal operations are able to achieve. The exact balance depends (of course) on how much negentropy the incubators are able to obtain from wishes vs. grief cubes, but our approach ought to be potentially viable for them in the long term.
I agree. Seto is the only one who can hunt it with any degree of thoroughness, and she's much better suited to using her teleportation skills to benefit a larger group.
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
-[X] Tip area 13 one GCU for facilitating the trade.
[X] 50 Spell anchoring: You already understand magic lingering in an object and enhancing it, but they've developed the techniques for placing an effect into an object beyond the mere passive effects.
[X] 10 Welcome packet: Their more insular version of your recruitment pamphlets. This contains basic details on structure that the girls in the organization are expected to know, as well as some history but may be more propaganda than truth.
[X] 10 Information: How'd they interrogate soul gems anyways? (Keep in mind OOC vs IC on this)
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
[X] 50-Spell anchoring
[X] 20-$40,000
No. of votes: 3
notgreat, Aranfan, racnor
[x] 50-Spell anchoring
[x] Don't trade GCU away
No. of votes: 2
boonerunner, Kinematics
[X] Nagoya trade (50 points for Rotating Tactics and info on basic Rotation Farming)
-[X] Trade 10 GCU to Nagoya for an additional 20 points = -10 GCU
-[X] Purchase Spell Anchoring = 50 points
-[X] Purchase Soul Gem Interrogation Information = 10 points
-[X] Purchase $20,000 = 10 points
-[X] Tip to Area 13 for acting as a go-between = -1 GCU
No. of votes: 1
TheEyes
##### 3.21
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
-[X] Tip area 13 one GCU for facilitating the trade.
[X] 50 Spell anchoring: You already understand magic lingering in an object and enhancing it, but they've developed the techniques for placing an effect into an object beyond the mere passive effects.
[X] 10 Welcome packet: Their more insular version of your recruitment pamphlets. This contains basic details on structure that the girls in the organization are expected to know, as well as some history but may be more propaganda than truth.
[X] 10 Information: How'd they interrogate soul gems anyways? (Keep in mind OOC vs IC on this)
[X] Meet with Seto, Kyouko, and other members of your advisers to talk to them in detail about this deal before going through with it. Argue that with the improved rotating tactics we will have 5 extra grief cubes being harvested a turn, so we can make this difference up in two turns of hunting. The small bits of information is highly valuable because we need to know what we are dealing with, figure out exactly what they did to our girls. The more expensive research information is extremely valuable because it would allow us to begin researching and creating actual magical equipment that could give us a big edge. Finally, trading them grief cubes would be a way to signal that we are a wealthy and strong organization, you think it will make them more wary about attacking. Ask for their help in selling this plan to the larger group.
-[X] Have a meeting with the full Serenes to cover the both the expected gains from the IRT research, and the events going on with the Nagoya group. Explain that while we wish to avoid fighting other girls, the Nagoya group seems quite willing to resort to violence. We have made a trade for information with them that we hope will make them view us as wealthy and less vulnerable. Particularly making them think our grief cube reserves are larger than they are, but that means we need them to be careful in what information they let slip to others outside the Serenes, especially the size of our grief cube reserves.
-[X] Have a meeting with the full Serenes to cover the both the expected gains from the IRT research, and the events going on with the Nagoya group. Explain that while we wish to avoid fighting other girls, the Nagoya group seems quite willing to resort to violence. We have made a trade for information with them that we hope will make them view us as wealthy and less vulnerable. Particularly making them think our grief cube reserves are larger than they are, but that means we need them to be careful in what information they let slip to others outside the Serenes, especially the size of our grief cube reserves.
Elder Haman, Skelm
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
[X] 50-Spell anchoring
[X] 20-$40,000
No. of votes: 3
notgreat, Aranfan, racnor
[x] 50-Spell anchoring
[x] Don't trade GCU away
No. of votes: 2
boonerunner, Kinematics
[X] Nagoya trade (50 points for Rotating Tactics and info on basic Rotation Farming)
-[X] Trade 10 GCU to Nagoya for an additional 20 points = -10 GCU
-[X] Purchase Spell Anchoring = 50 points
-[X] Purchase Soul Gem Interrogation Information = 10 points
-[X] Purchase $20,000 = 10 points
-[X] Tip to Area 13 for acting as a go-between = -1 GCU
No. of votes: 1
TheEyes
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] 50 Spell anchoring: You already understand magic lingering in an object and enhancing it, but they've developed the techniques for placing an effect into an object beyond the mere passive effects.
No. of votes: 8
Elder Haman, Skelm, notgreat, boonerunner, TheEyes, Aranfan, racnor, Kinematics
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
No. of votes: 6
Elder Haman, Skelm, notgreat, TheEyes, Aranfan, racnor
[X] 10 Information: How'd they interrogate soul gems anyways? (Keep in mind OOC vs IC on this)
No. of votes: 3
Elder Haman, Skelm, TheEyes
[X] 20-$40,000
No. of votes: 3
notgreat, Aranfan, racnor
-[X] Tip area 13 one GCU for facilitating the trade.
No. of votes: 3
Elder Haman, Skelm, TheEyes
[X] 10 Welcome packet: Their more insular version of your recruitment pamphlets. This contains basic details on structure that the girls in the organization are expected to know, as well as some history but may be more propaganda than truth.
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
[x] Don't trade GCU away
No. of votes: 2
boonerunner, Kinematics
-[X] Purchase $20,000 = 10 points
No. of votes: 1
TheEyes
##### 3.21
[X] 50 Spell anchoring: You already understand magic lingering in an object and enhancing it, but they've developed the techniques for placing an effect into an object beyond the mere passive effects.
No. of votes: 8
Elder Haman, Skelm, notgreat, boonerunner, TheEyes, Aranfan, racnor, Kinematics
[X] Trade them an additional 10 GCU for 20 more points.
No. of votes: 6
Elder Haman, Skelm, notgreat, TheEyes, Aranfan, racnor
[X] 10 Information: How'd they interrogate soul gems anyways? (Keep in mind OOC vs IC on this)
No. of votes: 3
Elder Haman, Skelm, TheEyes
[X] 20-$40,000
No. of votes: 3
notgreat, Aranfan, racnor
-[X] Tip area 13 one GCU for facilitating the trade.
No. of votes: 3
Elder Haman, Skelm, TheEyes
[X] 10 Welcome packet: Their more insular version of your recruitment pamphlets. This contains basic details on structure that the girls in the organization are expected to know, as well as some history but may be more propaganda than truth.
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
[x] Don't trade GCU away
No. of votes: 2
boonerunner, Kinematics
[X] Meet with Seto, Kyouko, and other members of your advisers to talk to them in detail about this deal before going through with it. Argue that with the improved rotating tactics we will have 5 extra grief cubes being harvested a turn, so we can make this difference up in two turns of hunting. The small bits of information is highly valuable because we need to know what we are dealing with, figure out exactly what they did to our girls. The more expensive research information is extremely valuable because it would allow us to begin researching and creating actual magical equipment that could give us a big edge. Finally, trading them grief cubes would be a way to signal that we are a wealthy and strong organization, you think it will make them more wary about attacking. Ask for their help in selling this plan to the larger group.
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
-[X] Have a meeting with the full Serenes to cover the both the expected gains from the IRT research, and the events going on with the Nagoya group. Explain that while we wish to avoid fighting other girls, the Nagoya group seems quite willing to resort to violence. We have made a trade for information with them that we hope will make them view us as wealthy and less vulnerable. Particularly making them think our grief cube reserves are larger than they are, but that means we need them to be careful in what information they let slip to others outside the Serenes, especially the size of our grief cube reserves.
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
-[X] Have a meeting with the full Serenes to cover the both the expected gains from the IRT research, and the events going on with the Nagoya group. Explain that while we wish to avoid fighting other girls, the Nagoya group seems quite willing to resort to violence. We have made a trade for information with them that we hope will make them view us as wealthy and less vulnerable. Particularly making them think our grief cube reserves are larger than they are, but that means we need them to be careful in what information they let slip to others outside the Serenes, especially the size of our grief cube reserves.
No. of votes: 2
Elder Haman, Skelm
-[X] Purchase $20,000 = 10 points
No. of votes: 1
TheEyes
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One thing your plan list does not incorporate is the tip to area 13 for facilitation.
Updated Business is Business proposal to include courier counts:
Heading off to bed, will probably update plan to incorporate Kinematics Hunting plan, possibly with addition of 0.5 Seto on Nomadic. Want to sleep on it.
Heading off to bed, will probably update plan to incorporate Kinematics Hunting plan, possibly with addition of 0.5 Seto on Nomadic. Want to sleep on it.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Tokyo is an utter meat grinder. The only force I'm willing to send is Kyoukclone.
Let's not tell them she's a clone. It'll look good for our reputation if we seem to have an infinite supply of red-head Elites.
By the time we're ready to consider this, we should have improved armor and shields and emergency healing/barrier/teleportation/distraction items. Plus, Nagoya has a lot of valuable experience for doing this type of thing with (relative) safety. The fact that they're rumored to be "gathering supplies" indicates that they can obtain items that are particularly useful against Class 3 demons. In addition, our group is particularly good with clairvoyance (when it comes to finding demons), so we ought to be able to help quite a bit at no extra risk when it comes to scouting.
The idea was that a bound spell would basically last forever until discharged because it separates the spell's power, which in the "bound" form needs to be supplied by the meguca, or in the "trigger" form is supplied by a separate battery, from its intent or spell-form. Think of a normal anchored spell as a grenade with no pin, that you need to hold on to until discharged, while the bound spell is more like a grenade with the explosive removed, that the girl has to manually add explosive from her own magical reserves, and a triggered spell is a grenade with a pin in it, that remains stable until you use it.
I'm hoping a future innovation would allow us to create more variable trigger conditions than "apply power to spell form": a way to create true contingent spells, maybe ones that can react independently to outside stimuli.
This is all going in the direction, eventually, dozens or hundreds of iterations and innovations down the road, of creating something similar to the Caster system from Outlaw Star, or maybe the Device/Cartridge system from Nanoha, where magical power can be contained and used to power devices that use that power in different ways depending on the circumstance. Maybe we could have multiple different spell-forms that run off a single battery, like how a staff works in D&D 3.5.
I figure this is one of those ways that our older vets can have an advantage over newer vets: with years of experience using magic you can pick up how to deliberately do what other meguca do by instinct.
That's pretty much exactly what the single-spell layering option is: a way to have multiple copies of for example barriers, that can absorb multiple hits before failing. It's all part of a long-term tech tree that will eventually change our magical girls into wizards: people who can prepare ahead of time for contingencies, rather than constantly have to throw your current reserves into a fight.
Another thing we'd need to know is what the realistic probability of our Elites dying to a Class 3 is. Nagoya may be willing to send their girls off to die in droves, but I'm much less willing.
On the other hand, we live just west of Tokyo, so if there is an outbreak of Class 3s they're going to come straight to us. Having a group willing to XCom them for us will be something we want to encourage, even if it does expose our girls to some risk, because the alternative is waiting, having the Class 3s appear all at once on our doorstep, and being forced to shoulder all the risk ourselves.
We're not going to get any contacts out of the deal; Nagoya wouldn't give contact information out to its vassals, even of its other vassals, since it would be in its best interest to have all those vassals dependent on Nagoya central as a go-between so it can do arbitrage between groups, keep tabs on them, and prevent them from deciding to gang up on it. At best it would provide a version of the map we have on the first page, with demarcations of their different vassal states' borders, and given the haphazardness of their spell anchoring notes it's probably not as accurate as we'd prefer.
There's also the very real possibility that they'd lie to us about the extent of their territory as an intimidation tactic; it's not like we'd be able to easily verify territory information for areas in north-western or south-western Nagoya, after all. Hell, we'll have a hard enough time even getting to Toyohashi, given out classic inability to stealth compared to every other meguca group we've come in contact with.
All in all, I don't consider a welcome packet worth $20k, not at all. I do want the soul gem research, and I definitely want to do the tip to Area 13, but that welcome packet is as likely to be a trap as it is to be helpful, and it's certainly not worth giving up the money for it.
There's also the fact that so far we've managed to get 88.4 cubes out of a territory that normally nets 72--a 23% efficiency gain--with further territory-efficiency gains possible once we work out slightly better armor, and that's with just a year to study the issue.
This represents a fundamental gain for them in terms of negentropy per land area. They can't be gaining much negentropy from Wishes themselves, or the Incubators would be running a sideline where they Contract girls then immediately kill them before they ever start hunting demons; since they have kyubey units everywhere they can easily get population statistics of Wish-capable girls and start running such a sideline without sacrificing the ability of an area to produce sufficient numbers of hunting girls. The fact that they haven't even begun something like this is an indication that the Wish itself is less important than being able to hunt a territory and bring in filled grief cubes to harvest.
Hmm...
This reminds me, @inverted_helix does Mami have any of these specialties? What can we train her in, with regards to tandem-casting?
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well, they might have already figured it out from when they sniped Kyouclone in the first contact event.
Tokyo is home to ~1200 normal Meguca and 45 elites, who are said by Kyubey to be coordinating with each other. Kyubey still believes that they will eventually all be killed.
Also, they fact that they are trying again and gathering materials says to me that they have tried this before and failed hard enough that they lost much of the equipment used in the attempt.
But then, why not just make multiple items, which we can already do, rather than doing this research?
Depends on how layering works, especially with the already GM-approved research that will let us use physical barriers to help contain anchored spells. If a girl can multi-layer barrier spells directly over her shield or armor that activate when struck, for example, then she wouldn't have to retreat after the first one goes off, which will massively help against long hunts, Class 3 assaults, and PvP events.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Or we could just give the girls multiple smaller items with stored barriers and have the same effect.