I agree with Apl on this one. May as well exhaust our diplomatic options before we go all John Connors on this tin can's ass. Besides, maybe working a little bit closer with the Calais/Cassini humans on this one will help establish a friendlier relationship, or at least one that's less cold.
If things work out, we could see a mutual increase in respect. The Cassini Fleet would (hopefully) gain access to another full colony ship, increasing their presence in the area, and our people would be grateful that as a direct result of Cassini's action, our own people were saved. Sure this sort of shit is frustrating, but we may be able to spin this into a net gain at the end of the day.
(Un)fortunately my plan includes talks with Wesley Unfortunately Increasing our population growth (we already since the last APL creche building is 5'000) will be a problem. No seriously, it will bite us in the ass if we do this. (Ether will drop too fast and even with Minor Servitors it'll still be too bad).
Really can't we try to use some of those resources on something else?.... Than again your choice,
Rather than building creches (which Renars advises against, and as the person that records the numbers I trust their judgement), why not put those two actions towards researching how to make Walkers? It'd probably synergize well with the War Servitor action, since we'd be reverse engineering a known tech that's similar to the one we'd be brainstorming designs for.
Hell, call out that the Archon involves himself in the reverse-engineering Walkers research and designing War Servitors research as his personal actions. We don't have any other actions that explicitly require his attention, so it's viable.
He's worrying over nothing though. According to his numbers we are producing 402,050 units of Ether every turn. With a storage of 1,747,241 units already built up.
The crèches will only increase our consumption by 30,000 units every FOUR turns.
Now yall tell me, is this something we need to worry over?
Next turn though, lets please reverse-engineer the big walker things, so that we have them as well as spidertanks. As it is, we have some, but we can't build any more. (Also, they're not on the front page, but that's a separate issue).
Just a question? whats the difference between War Servitor research (semi-autonomous ground combat machine) and drone-fighter (semi-autonomous air/space combat machine) ?
I'm curious and want to know why people prefer "ground" over "areal".
100 Creches in IDRF = population boom in Chapter 1.32 (+5000)
300 Creches in Capricorn = population boom in Chapter 1.31 (+5000) and Chapter 1.32 (+5000)
8x - Destroyer 24/12/12, 1600 Spinmetal/400 Relic Iron + 120 Helium Filaments + 7500 Glimmer + 2 Turns (Light Plasma Turrets, Medium Prow Plasma Gun, Torpedoes)(3 Mods) 3Photon Cannons each
8x - Pilot 12/16/8, 3200 Spinmetal/700 Relic Iron + 75 Helium Filaments + 150 Spirit Bloom + 3000 Glimmer (Enhanced Void Blast, Arc Shield, +50 Ether per Turn)(Allows for FTL for Ketches, +15 to Combat Rolls)(Can substitute for 1 High Servitor or 5 Minor Servitors)
200x - Creche, 200 Spinmetal/50 Relic Iron + 500 Glimmer (+50 Population)(+50 Dregs per 4 Turns)
8x - Photon Cannon (+6 Firepower)(1,000 Relic Iron + 2,500 Helium Coil + 500 Glimmer, Counts as 1 Mod)
Updated Numbers [{with some changes taken in account, NOT Final VERDICT}]
Twilight has about (= 12) ~118 Skiffs + Cult of the Great Machine Ship skiffs
13 transport
1 Foundlings Gyre
1 Heavy transport
9 Frigates
5 Light Cruisers (1 Heavily Damaged)
5 Corvettes
19 Heavy cruisers (3 has Ion Cannons)
3 Golden age Cruisers
1 Carrier
12 Ascetics
3 Battle Cruisers (ALL ARE REPAIRED)
8 Destroyers
1 Recneps-Syn
+
(8 Destroyers with Photon Cannons)
775 Minor + 385 High + 35 Pilot + 45 Elder + (1000 Minor + 20 Pilot + 500 High + 100 Elder + 50 Arbiters) + 1 Prime
+ (50 Minor + 1 Cobbled Servitor + 1000 Servitor-Shanks + 20 Elder Servitors + Failed Prime Shell) + 8 Pilot Servitors
=~ 3970 {1825 Minor ; 885 High ; 63 Pilot ; 165 Elder ; 50 Arbiters ; 1 PRIME(inactive) ; 1 Cobbled Servitor ; } + 1 Failed Prime Shell {
+10'000 Minor Servitor Shells (75% off Servitor Production for the next 10k Minor Servitors)
}
Exotic Materials Available:
Shadow Bloom: 132 250
________________________________________________
120 Spinmetal Farms (+600'000 per Turn)
50 Shadow Bloom Farms (+250'000 per Turn)
1 Glimmer Drill Platform (+20'000 per Turn) + The Small House of Merchants (+25% to Glimmer Production)
Recycling Systems (30% of all Resources can be returned)
Shock Dagger (+1 Atk)(Melee: Unit can carry up to 4)
Shock Blade (+4 Atk)(Melee: Unit can carry up to 2)
Shock Grenade (+8)(Grenade: Each consecutive unit type can carry 2 grenades)
Shock Pistol (+1 Atk)(Sidearm: Unit can carry up to 4)
Shock Rifle (+6 Atk)(Primary: Pulse Rifle)
Wire Rifle (+10 Atk)(Special: Sniper Rifle)
Shrapnel Launcher (+10 Atk)(Special: Shotgun)
Shrapnel Cannon (+60 Atk)(Heavy Weapon: Archon/Kell only)
Scorch Cannon (+20 Atk)(Heavy Weapon: Unit can only carry backups) Scorch Rifle (+6 Atk)(Primary: Scout Rifle) Flare Pistol (+2 Atk)(Sidearm: Unit can carry up to 4)
Arc AR available to be equipped to Elite organic combat units. (+6 to Attack. 1d10 roll for Stun; 5 to succeed; does not stack) Incinerator available to be equipped to Captains and Ultras (+20 to Attack.)(Note: If the Incinerator is damaged or destroyed, the weapon may cause extreme damage to the equipped unit and any nearby allies.)
–––––– Shields and Armor: Guntlet(Dregs gain +2 to Armor, +2 Shield) –––––– Iron Guard: (All Elites gain an additional +4 to all Stats) –––––– Upgrade: Neosteel Infantry Scale Upgrade: (Double Armor Stat for all Troops) –––––– Upgrade: Neosteel (Mechs & Vehicles)(160,000 Spinmetal + 8,000 Relic Iron + 160,000 Shadow Bloom + 2,400,000 Glimmer + 4 Actions)
Ascetics 4/6/6, 1000 Spinmetal/250 Relic Iron + 500 Helium Filaments + 10,000 Glimmer + 2 Turns (Antimatter Missiles, Arc Repeaters) (Cloaking Field: This unit is always under Stealth) [Transmat Reinforcements: May summon up to 10 ships once per battle.]
Done: Heavy Interdiction Turrets (+1 Firepower) (1 Roll per Battle, +70 to Succeed) (Cannot Mount on Corvettes or Frigates)//some Ships have installed
Ion Cannons (+6 Firepower vs Shields, 1d10 Roll for Random Hardpoint Malfunction)(Counts as 2 Mods, May Mount on any vessel)(250 Relic Iron + 500 Helium Filaments)//3 Heavy Cruisers have installed
Photon Cannon (+6 Firepower)(1,000 Relic Iron + 2,500 Helium Coil + 500 Glimmer, Counts as 1 Mod)//...maybe all Ships have installed ?
Biofoam (+2 to 1d10 combat saves)(1 Action + 500 Spirit Bloom/can be substituted with Shadow Bloom)
Researchable: Exotic Matter Warheads (3d10 Rolls vs Fighters - 4+ Kill)(Cannot Mount Corvettes)(4 Actions + 5,000 Glimmer)
Subspace Shielding (+3 Shields)(1d10 Roll for Damage Reduction)(4 Actions + 2,500 Glimmer)
Neural Shock Rifles (+3 to 1d10 combat rolls against organics, +1 to combat rolls against mechanical, 1d10 to Stun)(2 Actions + 2,500 Glimmer)
Iron Wombs (Increase population by 5% for every Creche every 4 Turns)(4 Actions + 500,000 Glimmer)
[] Search the databanks for any other Platforms. (1 Action + 1 Servitor)(1d100 Salvage Roll, +20 Bonus)
[] Repair Network Nodes (4 Actions, 1000000 Spinmetal + 250000 Glimmer)(Result: 1d10 Roll to Determine maximum number of Rolls on Research and Technology)
+10,000 Minor Servitor Shells (75% off Servitor Production for the next 10k Minor Servitors)
bases/possible bases:
100 Creches in IDRF = population boom in Chapter 1.32 (+5000)
300 Creches in Capricorn = population boom in Chapter 1.31 (+5000) and Chapter 1.32 (+5000)
• Ishtar Deep Research Facility [IDRF]
28 Autocannon batteries
8 Missile Batteries
Infrastructure:
1 Command & Control Center (+1 Action) 1 Network Nodes (+4 Research Roll Saves: One research option can be rerolled up to four times.)
5 Network Nodes (+5 to 1 Research Roll, -1 Turn to Research, -1 Turn to Decryption, +1 Alien Tech for Analysis)(Can Stack)
4 Hangar Bays (36 Craft each)
1 Naval Yard Complex (Can Build 1 Capital Ship or 2 Light Ships)
10 Robot Assembly Plants
• Capricorn Station/Twilight House
Particle Beam Arrays & Missile Batteries
1 Zero Point Reactor
3 Main Hangars
92 Minor Hangars
Infrastructure:
120 Spinmetal Farms (+100,000 +500,000 per Turn)
50 Shadow Bloom Farms (+250,000 per Turn)
1 Glimmer Drill Platform (+20,000 per Turn)
1 Command & Control Center (+1 Action)
4 Naval Yard Complexes (Can Build 1 Capital Ship or 2 Light Ships) (currently 2 active)
100 Creches (+5000 Dregs per 4 Turns {population boom in 1.31}) + ( 100 Creches (+5000 Dregs per 4 Turns {population boom in 1.32}) )
40 Robot Assembly Plants (currently 10 active)
15 Mechworks ()
10 Network Nodes, (+5 to Research, -1 Turn to Research, -1 Turn to Decryption, +1 Alien Tech for Analysis)
50 Foundries (Opens upgrades to arms and armor) (currently 15 active)
{+5 Additional Rolls to Research per Turn, apply as necessary}
• February Asteroid Base
Internal Defense System (+15 to battles inside the station)
1 Main Hangar Basic Stealth (Outwardly resembles a large asteroid) (With Naval Yard Complex NO STEALTH)
February Asteroid Base systems:
Build a C'n'C complex (+1 Action)
1 Naval Yard Complexes (Can Build 1 Capital Ship or 2 Light Ships) (INACTIVE)
Habitat Modules (+5000 Population)
And is it me or does it look like most of APL plans try to concentrate on expansion without regard to tech quality? I mean there are some tech research but it's more or less expensive version of Striders and Walkers with little in boost of capabilities, no improved Active camo (no Tier 2 research, also my bad) no Additional weaponry (most of these new weapons and armor came from @HeuristicKeeper, @Kingspace, @Professor Vesca ) or attempts on something different (drone-fighters, Shank-servitors, etc.)
And I'm sorry if I offended you, because usually such language against me is used as "constructive criticism", in order to "ask" why you chose to do these actions. Again, Sorry insulting you is not what I wanted to do, just understand...
Edit: btw FYI
I calculated APL plan cost, because based on 10 previous entries I take this as people won't vote any more (only 2 voted). Most viewers prefer reading not participating... don't know how to feel regarding this
Just a question? whats the difference between War Servitor research (semi-autonomous ground combat machine) and drone-fighter (semi-autonomous air/space combat machine) ?
I'm curious and want to know why people prefer "ground" over "areal".
Well for one a drone fighter needs to be programmed from the ground up. The Servitor is just slapping a huge gun onto a floating ball, then giving it legs to compensate.
And is it me or does it look like most of APL plans try to concentrate on expansion without regard to tech quality? I mean there are some tech research but it's more or less expensive version of Striders and Walkers with little in boost of capabilities, no improved Active camo (no Tier 2 research, also my bad) no Additional weaponry (most of these new weapons and armor came from @HeuristicKeeper, @Kingspace, @Professor Vesca ) or attempts on something different (drone-fighters, Shank-servitors, etc.)
... @APL 123AZ
OK, yes, but I thought 5000 new Eliksni every 4 turns (at the same time) is adequate.
+ Your "War Servitor" sound a bit like @HeuristicKeeper's "Walker Skiff" = good idea, bad wording and illogical execution. Than again, @Tabi will find a way to prove me wrong....
Either way, hope our tech has some kind of quality over enemies.. But that AI proves otherwise damit!
[x] Proteus: Point out to the AI that by its own logic refusing to return our people insures the total destruction of the ship and everyone on board. We will kill it if it does not return our people, and, according to it, we will kill it if it does. Would it not be better then to take the chance on us being honest? Continue negotiating. (1 Action)
[x] Calais: Call Wesley, perhaps he can pull rank on this damn AI. Assume he'll want something in return for the help, but that can be discussed after our people are back. (1 Action)
[x] Capricorn: Staff the new Naval Yard Complexes. (2,000 Dregs) (Free Action)
[x] Build 8 Destroyers fully modded with Photon Cannons, and 8 Pilot Servitors to go with them. (21,560 Helium) (2 turns to completion) (2 Actions)
[x] Research: Light Spider Walker. With a heavy weapon mounted on top, four legs to support its weight, and a shield gauntlet strapped to each of the legs, these machines are a true terror on the battlefield. The brainchild of one of the original Knightly Engineers, Spider-lites are meant to increase the presence of Twilights larger weapons on the battlefield. Scorch Cannons are default, but any weapon sized for a Captain or higher can be equipped.
(20/10/14, this is a infantry scale mech. Not a vehicle.) (1 Action)
[x] Research: Frames. Skeletal robots of human origin, Frames form the backbone of human industry. One of the Human Engineers has recently raised the question of whether or not they can be made cheaper than the Worker Shanks. He further points out that even if they are not, surely they could make for a better battlefield asset than the regular Shanks. (1 Action)
[x] Build 100 more Creches. (1 Action)
[x] Search the databanks for any other Platforms. (1 Action)
[x] February: Research: Begin drawing up plans for future expansions. Eventually engines will be added to the depot to make it mobile, this must be accounted for as the base expands. We also need to know where the best spots for these engines and future weapon mounts would be. (2 Actions)
[x] Ishtar Research Facility: Build 100 more Creches. (1 Action)
[X] Timor: Send 10 Incinerators to ensure the abomination is dead. (Free Action)
Regarding War Servitors: Why even put legs on it? Just give it a better anti-grav. I mean, Primes are basically giant weapon platforms and are incredibly mobile to boot... so the legs part really seems... well, pointless.
Just because I don't want to back a plan with useless cretches and some other mistakes, I am going to cast my vote on Renars and shift his plan to be the victor. I believe vote is still open?
Regarding War Servitors: Why even put legs on it? Just give it a better anti-grav. I mean, Primes are basically giant weapon platforms and are incredibly mobile to boot... so the legs part really seems... well, pointless.
*Shrugs* The picture has legs so I gave it legs. Plus they're a great point to slot the shields onto.
I suppose giving it both legs and better anti-grav would be best. Lets it remain stable when firing a weapon, but also keep the mobility from floating.
Just because I don't want to back a plan with useless cretches and some other mistakes, I am going to cast my vote on Renars and shift his plan to be the victor. I believe vote is still open?
Picture?
Edit: Does it produce Ether? No point in calling it a Servitor if it doesn't make Ether. Not to mention that that taking a servitor and making it bigger, tacking legs and a really big gun on it just seems... well going at it the wrong way really.
@APL 123AZ ? I would wager that Elder Servitors hit with power of a cannon so they all have decent stabilisers and I think (, considering the "small" power block in Scorch Cannons compare with Vehicle power blocks) the attack stats would be 25 in the least; defence considering the chassis ~ 10 shields at minimum 14
But as @Dark Abstraction said, Striders are good substitute ([??] do we even have their schematics?)
But really I said it before, right now "expand, expand, expand..." might be more trouble than it's worth. We do have some other options, and you completely forgot about Mars (aka possible WOLF PRIME SERVITOR) and "acquiring" it might give us some diplomatic edge with the Wolves either as deterrent, or something more.......
[x] Send 100 Squires, 200 Dregs, 100 Vandals, 100 Human/Eliksni Knights, 20 Minor Servitors, 10 High Servitors, 10 Captains, Guardian AND 1 Light Stealth Cruiser Recneps-Syn to Mars to scout and information gathering. Remain undetected, gather as much information as possible and de-encrypt the message. Avoid combat with local forces, until we know what is going on. (2 Actions)
[x] Calais: Call Wesley, perhaps he can pull rank on this damn AI. Assume he'll want something in return for the help, but that can be discussed after our people are back. (1 Action)
[X] Proteus: Leave only one ship, the rest return to Capricorn +
Propose an alternative: AI must wake up the crew. IT saw, that the Human Golden Age is pretty much gone. Enough stalling and since "IT" does not want to trust anyone and Twilight can't trust it's crews safety to an "ignorant, paranoid virtual intelligence" it should reawaken it's crew and let them decide how to respond to these negotiations. IF Col-ship AI really has colonists best interests "at heart" it will awaken them, it will provide it's discovered information without tempering with it, and it WILL allow Baroness Erixas to explain her side of the story without interrupting her just as Twilight won't interrupt anything it has to say. (1 Action)
[x] "Twilight never planned to take the colony crew hostage. We just wanted to reduce or outright avoid mass hysteria, panic, needless squabbling and potential casualties, both short-term and long-term. And we
• gave Cassini 2 intact, fully functional warships (there was next to no need to do so, and yet...),
• didn't kill anyone when there was Eliksni murders without proof,
• and even warned Wesley of rebels (OK, its a bit more complicated, but still all in all true).
If AI considers all "aliens" evil, and yes, its hostility and explanation WITHOUT RELEVANT INFORMATION wants for Twilight to be "evil". And that about leaving Cassini at their own station? We were upset because he siezed darkstar for himself and gave us nothing to show for our loss of life and resources. Tensions were high, and giving Cassini humans didn't want to deal with Twilight, it was safer for all involved to let them have "their own place". Furthermore you are guessing our motivations based on incomplete information. You may ask any of us, our Baroness and captured crew. Our intentions are not a lie." (Free Action)
[x] Research: Drone-fighters – A VI controlled fighters engineered to operate in space and atmospheres. Since this has no pilot and won't act as a transport vessel, and considered semi-disposable, any "transport space" and life support systems are removed, decreasing size and resource cost. Designed to be fast and manuverable, with stronger weapons than Skiff turrets. Can coordinate and work with others (both drones and not) {Possible designes: #4104} (1 Action)
[X] Research Mod: Subspace Shielding utilizes additions to the shield generator in order to shunt some incoming energy into subspace where it is harmless to the ship. The shields themselves do not grow stronger, but there are significant increases to system durability. (+3 Shields)(1d10 Roll for Damage Reduction)(4 Actions + 250,000 Glimmer)
[X] Timor: Send 10 Incinerators to ensure the abomination is dead. (Free Action)
[X] Research: Servitor-Shanks {study the "blueprints"; analyse the "ready product"; talk with Refugees responsible for creating them, and find ways to improve on these designs} (1 Action) (3x 55s to Succeed)
[X] Search the databanks for any other Platforms: Information on Relic Iron mines around asteroid belts around Pluto . (1 Action + 1 Elder Servitor)(1d100 Salvage Roll, +20 Bonus + 25)
WHY do we need more creches? We don't need population boom right now, and those dregs won't become useful in ages. Drawing up plans with 2 actions is also stupid, and the new spidery walkers add NOTHING to our arsenal. This is what I always dislike about your plans, APL: you don't consider if we NEED these things, or if the actions would be better used on other things, or at least don't even bother rethinking when set on your stance. Now instead of doing what we actually need (such as more helium refiners, exploring, calling other houses, trying to take over new platforms, and so on), we get useless actions. And when our enemies get to us, those will kill us.
Well, @HeuristicKeeper pretty much summed up my worries (I would used different words, but the core idea still stands), sorry @APL 123AZ
Oh, and @Dark Abstraction ? I would really want to sway you and others to my plan, but free world and all, so my question is ... what exactly would sway you to "my side"? What changes should be made in my plan to persuade you and others to vote for that?