Megastructure Dependency-chain Analysis
Assumes we're trying for the optimal completion path.
Summary of the summary, for planners this turn:
- Take Grav Sphere this turn if we possibly can.
- Edit: Hopefully take Economic Studies?
- Take any otherwise-rewarding options in: Nanoplague, Study the Alloys, Artificial Particle Theorems (generate DAoT Alloys), Factory Investigation, Study Naval Armor Design, Study Imperial Engine Design, Study Warp Navigation, and Warp Sphere.
Nanoplague -> bonuses to all Stewardship construction, particularly Begin extraplanetary resource exploitation and Planetary Harvesting, smaller but still-useful bonuses to Matryoshka Stages.
Begin extraplanetary resource exploitation -> tons of Resources
Increase native extraction -> tons of Resources
Planetary Harvesting -> tons of Resources, exotics
Reformation of the shadows -> Matryoshka Stage 1
Library Actualization: Divinity -> Matryoshka Stage 1, all Divinity actions particularly Living World (Faith)
Optional: Living World (Faith) -> additional Living World actions(?) -> Matryoshka Stage 1, tons of Resources
Study the Alloys and Artificial Particle Theorems (generate DAoT Alloys) -> Matryoshka Stage 1
Tons of Resources -> Foundational Medical Care -> Matryoshka Stage 1
Tons of Resources -> System Overhaul -> Matryoshka Stage 1, more resources the more planets are present
Edit: GM just suggested Economic Studies.
Edit: Renovate Infrastructure was lost from the recent turn, but is a valid action and probably a Megaproject prereq.
I'd say Factory Investigation and Study Naval Armor Design and Study Imperial Engine Design and Study Warp Navigation and Warp Sphere -> Matryoshka Stage 1, just off of "what basics do you want before finalizing the design?"
Grav Sphere and optionally Study the Theorems, plus tons of Resources -> Planetary Barge -> Planetary Acquisition -> tons of Resources, System Orbital Alignment (-> tons of Resources), Matryoshka Stage 5
Lots (see above) -> Matryoshka Stage 1 -> Matryoshka Stage 2 and 3 and 4 -> Matryoshka Stage 5 -> ...
Styles belong in here somewhere.
Summary:
- We've got a bunch of easy (ish) Research Actions that would be good for the Megaproject, long-term.
- Nanoplague, Study the Alloys, Artificial Particle Theorems (generate DAoT Alloys), Factory Investigation, Study Naval Armor Design, Study Imperial Engine Design, Study Warp Navigation, Warp Sphere, and Grav Sphere.
- Especially Grav Sphere, I think, since it's a prereq for the very-long Barge/Planets cycle.
- Edit: Economic Studies is Stewardship, but it's a close equivalent.
- Some harder (but otherwise equivalent) Research Actions also exist.
- Study the Theorems and Library Actualization: Divinity.
- The Barge/Planets cycle is long, but also rewarding.
- The ideal sequence is:
- We're going to need a lot of Resources and Resource income initially. We can get this from extraplanetary resource exploitation and Resource Harvesting.
- Then build Planetary Barge aplenty. (Also requires Gravity study.) Probably about 10-20?
- Planetary Acquisition as needed. A dozen times, maybe?
- System Orbital Alignment. Now we have all the Resources for later stages yay! Plus we're ready for Matryoshka Stage 5!
- Edit: Note that this provides, after later clarifications, a -65% cost to Megastructure stages (5+? All?).
- However, given just how many Resources each Planet gives us (+70/turn), it might be worthwhile taking Planetary Acquisition after a mere single Planetary Barge (avg 3 planets -> avg 11).
- How does Planetary Acquisition compare to Planetary Harvesting in terms of average-Resources-per-Action, right now?
- Once we get some decent Resources - from the Barge/Planets cycle starting up, probably - we can take Foundational Medical Care and System Overhaul.
- Once all of that, and a few other things, are all done, we can start Matryoshka Stage 1.
Construct Testing Facility -> "enhances all logistical/renovation actions post completion" -
@Leon12431, does this include Foundational Medical Care and/or System Overhaul? How about Planetary Harvesting? I assume it includes all Matryoshka stages...
@Leon12431, of the current actions available, which ones would Atraxas in-character expect to best help him and Shogi fight off a small force of elite foes?
@Leon12431, does finishing Grav Sphere reduce the difficulty of Study the Theorems? If not, I'm assuming the two have stacking effects? Particularly Grav Sphere granting Gravity Meta Library?
@Leon12431, does Nanoplague significantly bonus Planetary Harvesting? Or is there an intermediate action first?
@Leon12431, how many turns will Planetary Harvesting take us to finish on average, currently? Can we assign the Private Army to it? Let's assume we assign one Private Army action and one Atraxas (+3 computers) action, per turn.
Planetary Acquisition: ... (Planets: 12/832)
(Effect: ... Every 64 planets provides notable bonuses to the entire system and reduces the cost of megaproject stages post stage 4 by 10%, reduce the upkeep for space infrastructure by 10%)
@Leon12431, are the cost and upkeep reductions multiplicative? Because if they're additive, they should reduce costs and upkeep below 0.
Streamline the code of law - The number of laws currently in place is literally uncountable, for the Imperium's highest lawmaking authorities seem to have an aversion to stopping and as such the the moment you recite the number it has already become out of date. Admittedly, most of them do not affect daily operations for the vast majority of the populace, but by sheer volume some inevitably make an impact and are often indecipherable even if one has access to them. For the sake of making it possible to not violate the law, you will be attempting to reduce the number of contradicting and redundant laws as well as providing restatements that can actually be understood
(Suspicion: 150) (Resource Cost: 150) (DC: 2000)
(Result: All actions are cheaper and max suspicion is increased by 50, gain an extra action to all departments)
@Leon12431, is this one possible to take, at all? Is is basically that you have to have more than 50 cumulative suspicion-reduction in all other actions on the turn in which you take this, or...?
Also, if it stretches over multiple turns, do you pay the whole suspicion cost upfront? Or - please no - is it once per turn?
Edit: Apparently you had already answered this in the early days of the quest, too:
Strange Aeons: A 40k Xeno Governor Quest.
Finally, thanks for running this quest!
