The odds for the regular fleet aren't in our favor. The Alliance has been holding by the LLPs and presumably a good deal of other upgrades/forces:
for the oncoming counterattack. So far they've already got 81 LLPs with a final batch of 20-40 (depending upon how the numbers play out) coming this quarter.
Given how much of an effect our Hammerheads and such gear has had that could easily be enough to reverse their numbers advantage. Especially if we can push out UV laser upgrades this quarter.
True. Hopefully the Batarians or their backers don't develop an effective countermeasure, like their own advanced lasers, by the time of our counterattack. We also have a home advantage that we'd lose when we go on the offensive. Still, Council backing tips the odds in our favor a lot.
Speaking of which @tri2 do you have any numbers for what the cost (credits and production) and timeframe for upgrading the SA's existing LLP fleet to UV lasers would be?
I'm also not sure how necessary re-entry shrouds are, because I'm getting mixed messages on whether PI suits already have them. Apparently Revy's own suit can handle re-entry just fine, but it's not clear to me whether that's something specific to her personal suit, or something that's applicable to PI suits.
I'm also not sure how necessary re-entry shrouds are, because I'm getting mixed messages on whether PI suits already have them. Apparently Revy's own suit can handle re-entry just fine, but it's not clear to me whether that's something specific to her personal suit, or something that's applicable to PI suits.
So all Legionaries with Repulsors, which is all of them produced in the last year or so and includes all our existing units, are fully capable of both orbital entry and exit. The re-entry shroud is for very high speed re-entries (as in multiple kilometers per second) without depleting the shields or stressing the armor. In other words the sort of thing when you can't, or don't want to, secure a safe landing zone.
I must admit, I am also quite curious how the Batarians got the very independent-minded terminus systems to declare war as a single entity. Does that include people like Aria? Why would she help invade citadel space? Or the mercenary groups that get plentiful work from council-aligned politicians?
This looks like an awesome solution for the following problem:
I mean cmon, Steel Rain! Who needs drop pods when the power armor itself can do the job? Not to mention they could just fly up to the ships in orbit when the ground job is done.
Keep in mind the request was a means to drop from orbit without being shot down, presumably they aren't comfortable using the current means in a war zone.
So it may be worthwhile developing a 'hot' delivery system for soldiers and assets.
So drop pods might actually be useful, heavy armor, shields and maybe some guns or missiles and you could have a deployable bunker.
I think way back when in the old thread, Andrew suggested that Revy could try and design some kind of barrier shield for troop transports. I vaguely remember an idea being discussed that transports could provide close air support after disembarking, not just as gunships, but by using its superior power to provide a massive area barrier to large units.
I thought that was a cool idea, maybe we could do that. Mobile barrier generators.
One thing that I'd recommend is buying a Large Shipyard or two. While we don't have use for them now, we'll almost certainly research Dreadnaughts soon, and so having a shipyard ready for constructions seems useful to me.
Uh, not really that important, but didn't Parsec get an upgrade to 'Very Powerful'?
Also, would it be possible to have part of Parsec forces prepare for the upcoming offensive by holding drills or possibly joint exercises with SA forces? I imagine that a joint offensive is different from a defensive action.
I'm incredibly leery of sending the fleet above Mindoir (aka the one that sticks around Revy) to take part in any counter attack operations. There should always be a fleet near Revy IMO.
Starting Budget: $4,161,226,763,436 (After Taxes, existing revenue streams, and current contract payments)
Free Production: 4,339,784.7 (All taken contracts have been automatically fulfilled with required production removed)
Excess Production exchange rate: 260,000 Credits/Production (All unused production points shall be converted at end of turn to be added to beginning of next turn.)
2.5 Small Shipyard space used to produce 15 frigates for Hanar Navy, 30 frigates being produced using their shipyards. Production has been taken into account for Free Production value already.
So I've been putting this off for a bit since all the numbers are a real pain but the divergences in Production are starting to get potentially problematic. Credits don't matter anywhere near as much, while being far more complicated, so I'm going to skip them and focus on Production here. Red is for inconsistancies in the front page while Green is for things that were missing from the front page.
2174-Q3:
Production Capacity: 5,760,000.00
42 x Factory III
5 x Space Factory I
1 x Space Factory II
Other Production Consumption: -4,662,246.7
Arc Reactor Sales (Citadel Market): -375,000.00
Systems Alliance (Lite Laser Pyndas): -4,282,446.70
Systems Alliance (Hammerhead): -4,800.00
Remaining: 571,154.3
2175-Q1:
Production Capacity: 5,760,000.00
42 x Factory III
5 x Space Factory I
1 x Space Factory II
Other Production Consumption: -4,411,046.56
Arc Reactor Sales (Citadel Market): -375,000.00 Hanar Illuminate (Zama): -4,036,046.56
Systems Alliance (Lite Laser Pyndas): -?
Remaining: 1,678,854.44
So while leaving the Shifting Developments deal with CHA off has been a reoccuring issue it isn't really a big one. The big one of the Zama contract. Last quarter @tri2 had us building 45 Zama which likely came from the (understandable) assumption that we were planning on evenly spreading out the construction of 180/yr. However that wasn't actually mathmatically possible. We had no avaliable Shipyards:
All shipyards being used to effect repairs of damaged Alliance ships. No frigates can be built in them for this turn. May still construct them in factories.
which means instead of each Zama costing the normal 77,616.28 Production they instead were hit with the Ground Penalty (2x Production) for a cost of 155,232.560. 45 Zama at that would require 6,985,465.2 which is more Production then we even had. So for my bookkeeping I went with the origonal plan of producing less in the first quarter (24 for 3,725,581.44 Production) and more (52) in the following quarters.
That said I'm honestly rather confused as to why our Production is so high this quarter:
Free Production: 4,339,784.7 (All taken contracts have been automatically fulfilled with required production removed)
Excess Production exchange rate: 260,000 Credits/Production (All unused production points shall be converted at end of turn to be added to beginning of next turn.)
2.5 Small Shipyard space used to produce 15 frigates for Hanar Navy, 30 frigates being produced using their shipyards. Production has been taken into account for Free Production value already.
Even 45 Zamas at 77.6k (IE: with shipyards) translates to ~3.5 million Production which combined with the ~0.9 million of contracted Production should drop us down to ~2.5 milion production (from 6.9 million). I think what is happened here is that @tri2 took at the 77.6k figure as the post-penalty level and halved it to ~38.8k which would run ~1.7 million Production. That would result in an end Production of 4.3 million which more or less matches the figure listed in the update.
So anyways we should have ~1.7 mrillion Production available. Since we finally have dozens of Small Shipyards available we can basically stop worrying about the ground penalty for Frigate construction. So we could pump out as many as 27 LLPs this quarter although that would only leave us 33k Production for other products.
I'm thinking of trading a couple LLPs for some more Quadriga Troop Transports for ParSec since they are supposed to be leading the charge. Currently they only have the one (plus the Dragon Lady). While that is enough for the entirety of ParSec barring vehicles* they clearly want more. Probably so more targets can be hit simultaneously. At 90k Production through it is a harsh trade of 1.5LLPs per QTT.
ParSec has 692 Legionaries (46%), 11,658 Drones (28%), and 61 vehicles (the Hammerhead folds to be roughly Tiger size so they can be treated Identically). The vehicles are more complicated but roughly speaking I'd say each takes up ~70m^3 so a QTT can only actually hold ~10 of them. That is a limiting factor.
@tri2 - Something else I noticed while doing this is that I didn't actually get around to updating the numbers in my spreadsheet to the new numbers from the V3 Starship Designer. While the LLP doesn't need updating since it would create too many ripples and the QTT is easy (since we haven't built any) there is the question of the Zama. It drops 19,920.03 Production going from the old V2 to the V3 design. That would have freed up 956,161.44 (~7.8 LLPs) last quarter and frees 1,035,841.56 this quarter. Do you want to just grandfather in the old number (like with the LLP) or just ignore the wasted Production last quarter (call it teething issues or something) and go forwards with the new value from now on?
One thing that I'd recommend is buying a Large Shipyard or two. While we don't have use for them now, we'll almost certainly research Dreadnaughts soon, and so having a shipyard ready for constructions seems useful to me.
We already have one Large Shipyard and with our new Construction techs they build in just 2 quarters. I don't really see a need to get a rush on building more.
The spectres could have discovered the special ability of the alpha relay thus lighting a fire under the Council's ass. Nice to see that the Alliance is doing better in space now. I think the reason why the Terminus Systems are helping the Batarians is if they don't create a united front against the council now then they won't have the strength to resist the Council Races later when the Batarian Hegemony is defeated.
Keep in mind the request was a means to drop from orbit without being shot down, presumably they aren't comfortable using the current means in a war zone.
So it may be worthwhile developing a 'hot' delivery system for soldiers and assets.
So drop pods might actually be useful, heavy armor, shields and maybe some guns or missiles and you could have a deployable bunker.
The pods were for quick deployment of elites to clear an LZ for the ship, namely by taking out defensive installations, then the heavily armored and shielded ships drop onto the ground and deploy the masses of troops need to hold ground, at the same time it is also there to collect the drop pods and act as a mobile barracks or command center and such, they can then blast off again once the fighting is done or if they need to retreat.
I think way back when in the old thread, Andrew suggested that Revy could try and design some kind of barrier shield for troop transports. I vaguely remember an idea being discussed that transports could provide close air support after disembarking, not just as gunships, but by using its superior power to provide a massive area barrier to large units.
I thought that was a cool idea, maybe we could do that. Mobile barrier generators.
One of the things that arms companies struggle with post-war is a drop in weapon system and munitions sales. This has the potential to be its own business unit if developed. Paragon Telecom?
Would be useful for our own planet and definitely desirable for developing the SA territory especially if defensive doctrine wasn't limited by where they could find habitable planets.
Important if they're to be the tip of the spear. Dragon Lady transports, Tiger IFVs and perhaps something like an ODST drop pod for Legionnaire armour or teams of conventionally armored soldiers, only with power generation for ECM, shields, ablative armour and an anti-missile laser system. Feet First into Hell!
EDIT: How about we throw in some Five meter Mechs?
What are the odds that they just happens to have latest Turian power armor for final combat testing with them. Among any other stuff they have been researching that uses Arc Reactors
So aside from finally buying Thermal Shrouds does anyone have particular interests in any particular research projects? For the laser concern I'm thinking both Stasis Plate and TIR
Yeah, Laser defense is major thing now because when Batarians go down, Reapers come try get Revy one more time.
Outside of that we should try get at least Basic Combat Analysis to boost personal and troops skill.
Mordin should be left to work Brain Shield unless he is needed to get the RP for survivability things.
If Shatom can't be assigned to help with those, then let him work 500 mac to our cruiser class ships.
Outside of that, perhaps better lasers. Military doesn't seem to want any new weapon type right now, just more of the old that works so upgrade for ships that are coming later would help.
Total war is gonna be fun, and after the war there is gonna be so much less pirates, raiders, slavers and merc in the Terminus Systems, so that is gonna be fun
Speaking of which @tri2 do you have any numbers for what the cost (credits and production) and timeframe for upgrading the SA's existing LLP fleet to UV lasers would be?
So I've been putting this off for a bit since all the numbers are a real pain but the divergences in Production are starting to get potentially problematic. Credits don't matter anywhere near as much, while being far more complicated, so I'm going to skip them and focus on Production here. Red is for inconsistancies in the front page while Green is for things that were missing from the front page.
2174-Q3:
Production Capacity: 5,760,000.00
42 x Factory III
5 x Space Factory I
1 x Space Factory II
Other Production Consumption: -4,662,246.7
Arc Reactor Sales (Citadel Market): -375,000.00
Systems Alliance (Lite Laser Pyndas): -4,282,446.70
Systems Alliance (Hammerhead): -4,800.00
Remaining: 571,154.3
2175-Q1:
Production Capacity: 5,760,000.00
42 x Factory III
5 x Space Factory I
1 x Space Factory II
Other Production Consumption: -4,411,046.56
Arc Reactor Sales (Citadel Market): -375,000.00 Hanar Illuminate (Zama): -4,036,046.56
Systems Alliance (Lite Laser Pyndas): -?
Remaining: 1,678,854.44
So while leaving the Shifting Developments deal with CHA off has been a reoccuring issue it isn't really a big one. The big one of the Zama contract. Last quarter @tri2 had us building 45 Zama which likely came from the (understandable) assumption that we were planning on evenly spreading out the construction of 180/yr. However that wasn't actually mathmatically possible. We had no avaliable Shipyards:
which means instead of each Zama costing the normal 77,616.28 Production they instead were hit with the Ground Penalty (2x Production) for a cost of 155,232.560. 45 Zama at that would require 6,985,465.2 which is more Production then we even had. So for my bookkeeping I went with the origonal plan of producing less in the first quarter (24 for 3,725,581.44 Production) and more (52) in the following quarters.
That said I'm honestly rather confused as to why our Production is so high this quarter:
Even 45 Zamas at 77.6k (IE: with shipyards) translates to ~3.5 million Production which combined with the ~0.9 million of contracted Production should drop us down to ~2.5 milion production (from 6.9 million). I think what is happened here is that @tri2 took at the 77.6k figure as the post-penalty level and halved it to ~38.8k which would run ~1.7 million Production. That would result in an end Production of 4.3 million which more or less matches the figure listed in the update.
So anyways we should have ~1.7 mrillion Production available. Since we finally have dozens of Small Shipyards available we can basically stop worrying about the ground penalty for Frigate construction. So we could pump out as many as 27 LLPs this quarter although that would only leave us 33k Production for other products.
I'm thinking of trading a couple LLPs for some more Quadriga Troop Transports for ParSec since they are supposed to be leading the charge. Currently they only have the one (plus the Dragon Lady). While that is enough for the entirety of ParSec barring vehicles* they clearly want more. Probably so more targets can be hit simultaneously. At 90k Production through it is a harsh trade of 1.5LLPs per QTT.
*
A QTT holds:
ParSec has 692 Legionaries (46%), 11,658 Drones (28%), and 61 vehicles (the Hammerhead folds to be roughly Tiger size so they can be treated Identically). The vehicles are more complicated but roughly speaking I'd say each takes up ~70m^3 so a QTT can only actually hold ~10 of them. That is a limiting factor.
@tri2 - Something else I noticed while doing this is that I didn't actually get around to updating the numbers in my spreadsheet to the new numbers from the V3 Starship Designer. While the LLP doesn't need updating since it would create too many ripples and the QTT is easy (since we haven't built any) there is the question of the Zama. It drops 19,920.03 Production going from the old V2 to the V3 design. That would have freed up 956,161.44 (~7.8 LLPs) last quarter and frees 1,035,841.56 this quarter. Do you want to just grandfather in the old number (like with the LLP) or just ignore the wasted Production last quarter (call it teething issues or something) and go forwards with the new value from now on?
Yes you are correct, dropping free production by 1,746,366.3 to 2,593,418.4
All shipyards are available for your use again this turn. Except for the ones already being used for the 15 Zamas for the Hanars
Production is so much higher is because of the construction drones dropping all the 2 turn projects to one which included a lot of factories in mid construction. So a bunch of 3 turn jobs needing 2 more turns needed just one, which was the last turn. Congratz.
For V3 Starship Designer, sure go ahead, let's just move on from that point.
The Cord-Hislop Aerospace Deal
Cord-Hislop Aerospace doesn't have a native mass accelerator cannon development section. They either buy them manufactured to the needed specifications or buy FRM licenses. Historically they've bought most of their weapons from General Dynamics Inc. Due to this having the primary rights to directly produce the tech doesn't interest them. However, they would like access to the technology for their products.
They are willing to cover half the bid up to a limit of them paying 2.25 billion, if Paragon industries agrees to sell them 1000 units of 2m mod-compatible mass accelerators (1.5 production/310k credits production cost each) and 500 units of 5m mod-compatible mass accelerators (3 production/620k credits production cost each) per quarter at cost for 2 quarters, then at normal value for another year. A reasonable delay of 2 quarters before delivery begins would be acceptable. They would also like an agreement not to sell such weapons too their competitors in the aerospace field for the duration of this agreement (1.5-2 years).
1,000x2m mod MACs and 500x5m mod MACs at 1.5pr and 3pr respectively comes to a combined total of 3,000 Production per quarter. Although reading over it seems that contract expired this quarter so it may have actually been on the contracts list and just removed this turn. That would explain why I remember seeing it there.
Production is so much higher is because of the construction drones dropping all the 2 turn projects to one which included a lot of factories in mid construction. So a bunch of 3 turn jobs needing 2 more turns needed just one, which was the last turn. Congratz.
So starting from the start of this quest we ordered the following Production related buildings:
2174-Q3: ETA 2175-Q2 (3qtrs)
10 x Factory III (Mindoir)
10 x Factory III (Elysium)
10 x Factory III (Benning)
10 x Factory III (Demeter)
ETA 2176-Q3 (8qtrs)
1 x Space Factory II (Elysium)
1 x Space Factory II (Benning)
1 x Space Factory II (Demeter)
ETA 2177-Q3 (16qtrs)
1 x Space Factory III (Mindoir)
2174-Q4:
2175-Q1: ETA 2175-Q4 (3qtrs)
21 x Factory IIIs (-21 Billion) on Mindoir
18 x Factory IIIs (-18 Billion) on Elysium
21 x Factory IIIs (-21 Billion) on Benning
18 x Factory IIIs (-18 Billion) on Demeter
40 x Factory IIIs (-40 Billion) on Bekenstein
40 x Factory IIIs (-40 Billion) on Terra Nova
40 x Factory IIIs (-40 Billion) on Eden Prime ETA 2176-Q1 (4qtrs)
4 x Space Factory I (-40 Billion) in orbit of Elysium
2 x Space Factory I (-20 Billion) in orbit of Benning
2 x Space Factory I (-20 Billion) in orbit of Demeter
6 x Space Factory I (-60 Billion) in orbit of Bekenstein
6 x Space Factory I (-60 Billion) in orbit of Terra Nova
6 x Space Factory I (-60 Billion) in orbit of Eden Prime ETA 2177-Q4 (11qtrs)
2 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-400 Billion) in orbit of Elysium
1 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-200 Billion) in orbit of Benning
1 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-200 Billion) in orbit of Demeter
2 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-400 Billion) in orbit of Bekenstein
2 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-400 Billion) in orbit of Terra Nova
2 x Heavily Armed Space Factory II (-400 Billion) in orbit of Eden Prime
So what happens next depends upon how the halving is applied. If it is applied to the remaining duration then when it kicked in last quarter
ETA 2175-Q2 (3qtrs) = Finished (0 effect)
ETA 2175-Q4 (3qtrs) = 3qtrs remaining /2 = 2qtrs remaining (ETA 2175-Q3)
ETA 2176-Q1 (4qtrs) = 4qtrs remaining /2 = 2qtrs remaining (ETA 2175-Q3)
ETA 2176-Q3 (8qtrs) = 6qtrs remaining /2 = 3qtrs remaining (ETA 2175-Q4)
ETA 2177-Q3 (16qtrs) = 14qtrs remaining /2 = 7qtrs remaining (ETA 2176-Q4) [On the front page you list this as 2177-Q1]
ETA 2177-Q4 (11qtrs) = 11qtrs remaining /2 = 6qtrs remaining (ETA 2176-Q3)
If that is accurate then it didn't actually make any difference. The only thing that finished in time for this quarter were the 40 Factory IIIs, that I mentioned in my previous post, that were already scheduled to finish this quarter. Next quarter will be awesome with +16.8 million Production coming online but that doesn't help us this quarter.
The terminus systems might not be backing the batarians. At least not all of them.
I wonder how many are only pledging their support due to fear of the bartarians and the pirates turning on them if they refuse? How many are only sending a token forces?
The terminus forces are said to be made up of a lot of pirates after all. So how much of this participation is I die if I fight you, but I die sooner if I don't.
The terminus systems might not be backing the batarians. At least not all of them.
I wonder how many are only pledging their support due to fear of the bartarians and the pirates turning on them if they refuse? How many are only sending a token forces?
The terminus forces are said to be made up of a lot of pirates after all. So how much of this participation is I die if I fight you, but I die sooner if I don't.
In that case we should probably try and help take down the Batarians ASAP. The sooner we cut the head off the snake the sooner the more deaths we can prevent on the Terminus front.
To be honest i want to build the tools to build the tools this turn while we have the opportunity. So i would love any/all of these on our research list
[ ] Advanced Hacking VI [600]: When you want a hacker but can't afford to pay one. A sophisticated program that can interface with a variety of operating systems and hardware to both improve cybersecurity as well as allow field operatives to have a specialized assistant for infiltration endeavors.
[ ] Basic Diplomacy/Legal Assistance VI [300]: A helper program similar to current VIs but with a larger knowledge base and increased versatility. Programmed with the knowledge of galactic legalese and cultural practices, now you too can fake being an expert on Vorcha greeting rituals.
[ ] Advance Electronic Warfare VI [600] (Requires Programming Skill Rank B): Taking the existing electronic warfare VI and making it better in every way. Truly the motto of Paragon Industries. But overturning existing knowledge and technologies is practical a normal Tuesday for Revy.
[ ] Advance Security VI [600] (Requires Programming Skill Rank B): As if Revy wasn't scary enough, she also uses what she has learned and makes her past projects better. Dissecting the rather anticlimactic death of the superbiotic, along with analyzing the more dangerous mech attack, along with inputting battlefield data from centuries of warfare, we can now create a security VI that would intimidate generals everywhere. Possible even replace them.
[ ] Advance Research VI [50/600] (Requires Programming Skill Rank B): Better assistants mean more time to research. And more time to research means more and more technologies get turned upside the head in a faster timeframe. Who doesn't want a computer program telling them that they're wrong before they even start looking into a particular subbranch?
[ ] Basic Combat Analysis VI [300]: Ever look at a battlefield and wonder what the hell is going on? Me neither, but that doesn't mean we can't write a program to answer that question anyways. Plus the ability to look at a situation and say, this maneuver was dumb is sure to be helpful.
[ ] Advanced Construction VI [300]: Your construction VI has proven their worth several times over with the rate of construction increasing significantly with their introduction despite the grumblings of some of your employees jesting about robots stealing their jobs. You were sure however you could make them even better, allow them to work even faster, and build even bigger things without issue.
[ ] Repulsor Cannon [25/800]: Now your normal repulsors are decent makeshift weapons despite their main purpose as movement devices. However, they suffer from the downside of limited range and lethality. Ish. Now the normal repulsors can fire beams of concussive force which provides the mobility iconic to your armors and more focused beams that can literally send men flying like ragdolls, they do lack the ability to do more and over 10 meters. They can be upsized to create bigger concussive beams, but that's all it is concussive, and still with the 10m range. All your repulsors are doing are basically smashing apart anything it is hitting like a sledgehammer. Sometimes you need more finesse, and that is what the repulsor cannon will do. More power, more range, and a way for the beam to be focused even more to become essentially a laser.
[ ] Better Battery [800]: While a Arc reactor can be scaled down to fit a pistol now, it is just outright overkill and too expensive to do for each weapon in the long run. So simple answer is if power generation is too high, then simply make a power storage system to match it. Current batteries could never make your laser guns lethal, there was just not enough power in them. Compared to everything else you made how hard could it possibly be to make a battery that is just 1000 times better than a old car battery? You have the power of lemon lime flavored meta materials on your side!
[ ] Thermal Shields for power armor (re-entry shroud) [200]: It's been a while since an N7 asked if the Iron Man suit could reenter an atmosphere on its own power. Well, it was a good question, and adding that functionality to your suits would make them more versatile albeit more expensive.
[ ] Omni-tool Upgrades [37/200]: More power, better omni-tool functions. Improvements to both fabrication and assorted "tech" applications. Only regret, lack of small arc-reactor to install directly.
Honestly the Terminus Systems are kinda screwed here. When you get down to it they are a loose collection of rogue nations/colonies that generally support themselves through various illegal means. The Citadel Council has a strong incentive to take various political, economic, and military actions against them.
So far the Terminus Systems have survived off a combination of being too costly to invade and support from the Batarian Hegemony. The Batarians provide a massive trade partner and a way to launder their funds/goods for use in Citadel space. They also act as a potential rallying point or secret backer for a unified Terminus fleet should the Council invade.
Without Batarian support the Terminus Systems will be signifcantly worse off economically and militarily. Further compounding this is that the Systems Alliance is proving itself to be the military juggernaut people were afraid it would be. This is highly problematic for the Terminus Systems. A powerful Alliance further shifts the balance of power towards the Council providing them a second set of frontline troops to compliment the Turian Hierarchy. They are even more problematic because Terminus nations regularly make raids into the Attican Traverse; the same Attican Traverse the Alliance is currently in the process of settling. That removes the buffer between the Terminus and "true" Council space and replaces it with the Council's new attack dog.
If the Terminus Systems want to maintain their way of life they have to fight us here and now. If they can overwhelm our forces, or at least make the conflict bloody enough that we sue for peace, things can return to the status quo. Else wise they are facing down a seemingly inevitable invasion they otherwise can't stop either way.
