- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Snowfire's "go after Skylark on principle" increases the likelihood of a revenge bombing if the SL loose. I think.
The Practice War [Complete]
- Thread starter Snowfire
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
Yes, that is why I'm willing to be flexible on the issue in the first place.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I think swapping is worth it, and it's a judgement call between Auxiliary or Database - your call.
- Location
- Queensland, Australia
I'm willing to change my plan if it seems like the consensus is on other actions.
Usually what's happened so far is that I and another post two relatively different plans, that by the time the vote's called have shifted around until they're only two or three dice different. We'll see how it goes this time...
Usually what's happened so far is that I and another post two relatively different plans, that by the time the vote's called have shifted around until they're only two or three dice different. We'll see how it goes this time...
I still haven't heard anyone argue how Curtain Call would be useful in the first place. What exactly are we supposed to do with advanced notice of shiplord arrival if our strategy is to sit at Mars and wait for them? Do we start waiting earlier?
In contrast, I kind of want a die on restoring Monuments, since that neatly ties into the speech.Also wr.t. our second personal action, I'd prefer integrating the concert set to Powerful Words because that means we can use the concert set immediately. It should also be useful during the attack, since our job with probably be some variant of command&control.
Other than these two dice, there isn't really anything in your plan I'm seriously opposed to.
- Location
- Somewhere out there
If Ancestral Key is that important, I would recommend taking one of the shipyard dice out to support it instead of taking out Databank Sweep. Our fleet is pretty beefy as it is and reserve ships aren't likely to prove useful -- it would require a damaged ship (or at least its crew) to be able to limp home and then re-deploy; a destroyed ship can't do that.
I agree that Curtain Call isn't worth sinking a die into.
I also agree that integrating the Concert Set is more important than Powerful Words. As much as I'd like both, I acknowledge that Unison Training is important and if one of them has to go then Powerful Words is the one that should be dropped.
I'm still nervous about Wall of Mars, but if the consensus is for it, I won't argue.
I agree that Curtain Call isn't worth sinking a die into.
I also agree that integrating the Concert Set is more important than Powerful Words. As much as I'd like both, I acknowledge that Unison Training is important and if one of them has to go then Powerful Words is the one that should be dropped.
I'm still nervous about Wall of Mars, but if the consensus is for it, I won't argue.
It means that they have a location limit, not lag or a range limit. As in, "When the signals leave the system, something in the Void gobbles them up." The signals simply don't get to another star in any amount of time. Even the Shiplords appear to be constrained by this, so there probably isn't a simple solution which doesn't at least involve practice or a similarly high-level Void secret. Hermes was a special project to try to find a way around that problem which at least partly involved obscenely high power levels and may have been what alerted the Shiplords to humanity to begin with, so it may just be a choice on their part not to use interstellar FTL comms they have the capability for, which would suggest that there are very bad consequences for doing so even by Shiplord standards.
I'm more interested in finding a way for the 223 to gain an ability similar to Replekia
What about transferring a pre-existing soul into a new, artificially created container, alongside the mind associated with that soul? If the new container is purely mechanical (or something created via Practice), that shouldn't violate the 'no Second Secret' rule, right?
Even with a miracle, we couldn't repair the Elder First's own bodies because it conflicted with their essence, much less transfer their souls.
I never said it's something we can do right away!
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
This is a good point actually, building reserve ships is relatively low on the "helpfulness" meter, provided that our primary metric is the immediate battle and it's consequences. Any ship that can't be immediately deployed into the fight (or at least sent in as reinforcement), is functionally non-existent until post-battle.
Post-battle, being able to immediately replenish our functional hull count will be nice, but unless we expect them to send another fleet in a handful of years, it shouldn't be anything that we can't put off.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That assumes the SL will comply with our plan to have one decisive battle with major or total loss on their side and no reason for us to pursue or reason to pursue and the means to do so.
In the interest of compromise, I've swapped in Ancestral Key. I cannibalized the Tower reserve construction to do this. My reasoning is that those ships are hard to kill, and IIRC they can even regenerate. Plus, we only have about half as many of them as we have Dauntless Ships. Plus, Mender crew could probably be useful doing repairs elsewhere even if they don't have a ship to crew.
So anyone voting based on Ancestral Key can safely switch to my plan.
So anyone voting based on Ancestral Key can safely switch to my plan.
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
True, but I've been running with that presumption basically from the beginning. The "Single Glorious Melee that shall decide the fate of our species" seems likely, considering what we know of the Tribute Fleet's disposition, it's purpose, and the event's of the previous invasion. Tactical Devastation of the enemy is the War Fleet's gig, the Tribute Fleet's job is to grind everything before it into a fine paste, then count the bodies to evaluate a species value/danger. Quite simply, their SUPPOSED to smash their skulls against the wall and see which breaks first (usually the wall).
As for running them down, I doubt we can bring up reserves before they hit the edge of the No FTL Zone, and skip off to places we can't follow. If they break and run, we'll be pursuing them with the same ships that were already in the battle.
You have bribed me. Good luck with the move!In the interest of compromise, I've swapped in Ancestral Key. I cannibalized the Tower reserve construction to do this. My reasoning is that those ships are hard to kill, and IIRC they can even regenerate. Plus, we only have about half as many of them as we have Dauntless Ships. Plus, Mender crew could probably be useful doing repairs elsewhere even if they don't have a ship to crew.
So anyone voting based on Ancestral Key can safely switch to my plan.
[x] Plan We Stand Unbroken
- Location
- Somewhere out there
It occurs to me that @PrimalShadow's plan doesn't have a big penalty for Practice dice failures. Should we consider applying The Shape of Miracle to Wall of Mars?
That said, with or without that change:
[x] Plan We Stand Unbroken
That said, with or without that change:
[x] Plan We Stand Unbroken
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That's also a decision to take: where to put the reserves. Near, for exactly the reason you gave, with the risk of them being destroyed by some escorts, or far, only useful if we have to fight a prolonged fight.
With 5 practice dice and 5 practice actions, that is -5 to ten things. It isn't a lot, but little things add up; a cumulative -50 is a bit higher than I'm comfortable with paying, here.
- Location
- Queensland, Australia
Okay, Snowfire, can we get some hints at what sort of effect having Curtain Fall succeed would do if we've pulled back our forces to Earth and Mars orbit?
Because if it's not exactly effective, I was going to swap it for my secondary choice of Symbols of Hope and finally get that done.
Because if it's not exactly effective, I was going to swap it for my secondary choice of Symbols of Hope and finally get that done.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
It'll give you more time to prepare, and if they end up using their FTL drives again it'll let you know where they're aiming. Even though First Secret FTL is instantaneous in terms of transit time, this is more useful than it would seem. It also would make any attempts at stealth far less likely to succeed, if the Shiplords employ such things.
Simply put, it could be useful, and will lay the groundwork for other projects to advance your scanning and sensory technology. Potential short term benefits with planning for the future on the side.
- Location
- nz
[x] Plan We Stand Unbroken
Mizu
Software Developer
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
Did you know that no Chinese source has ever been produced for that phrase? Never fails to amuse me
And what could possibly be wrong with interesting? It's not as if I've ever *looks at Consequence Interlude* oh. Right. Um...
That's because it's not one; the saying is made up, just like a lot of quack medicine sellers claim their miracle cure is an "ancient Chinese secret."Did you know that no Chinese source has ever been produced for that phrase? Never fails to amuse me