The setup80 planets, simple clusters (seed #1847417594)
AIW 6.001 with all available expansions enabled, complex ships w/ core shield generators
Dyson Sphere, Roaming Enclaves, Broken Golems (easy), Spirecraft (easy)
AI 1: The Tank (7.6) Avenger, Hybrid Hives, Advanced Hybrids
AI 2: Fortress Baron (7.6) Astro Trains
I also cranked down the AI progress auto-increment considerably because I enjoy the slugfest moreso than the pressure cooker, and I figured the progress cost of taking lots of planets would be more than enough challenge in itself. I had no idea. [/i]
The storyWith the destruction of the Fortress Baron AI's command station in the desolate Matypiran system, and the Dyson Sphere aliens occupying the attention of the remaining AI at the Marsoke gate, the true "front" now lie a full 6 wormhole jumps away. This would be almost enough for the beleaguered home command station crew to relax but for the warning klaxons that constantly heralded the arrival of enemy reinforcements. Warnings of "Mark III Carrier Detected" relayed from scout drones in far-off star systems flashed onscreen constantly now, nearly every couple minutes. The remaining AI was quite upset indeed, pushed far past the almost-amused contempt with which it had once taunted the human fleet's first ill-fated strikes. Machine-controlled death squads were now pouring in to the galaxy at an alarming rate from origins unknown.
Still, the humans had just re-established control of the 38th world from AI control since the insurrection began. 38! If nearly half the known star systems could be reclaimed, why stop there? The galaxy won't be safe for habitation again until every trace of the AI is scourged from every world...
The situation
109 hours, 43 minutes. AI Progress: 1005. Threat: mildly serious. It's been a tough road- the AI started with Spire Stealth Battleships in its arsenal and nearly crushed our rebellion before it ever truly began. We have persevered and AI forces are primarily concentrated in three groups: about 7000 special forces ships trapped in the two remaining core worlds in the upper left cluster, and about 3000 at Matyjirew (bordering our home cluster) held at bay by our Hive Golem and preoccupied with the Dyson Sphere, along with the bulk of the hybrid pack. Oh, there's also another 50,000 or so massed at Iusgio that are essentially static but gather strength with each new carrier spawn. We have a small force of space planes there to give them something to think about, but the normally only move as a reaction force when we trespass somewhere the AI believes we oughtn't. We have citadel worlds established at each of our cluster entrance chokes and move carefully. Carrier madness is in full effect.
We have no advanced factories. Both were located far into enemy territory and one was located on a class A core generator world, which could not be effectively held. We do have 3 armored golems, a black widow golem and a hive golem (which works wonderfully as a fleet-in-being deterrent).
We have accumulated a modest bit of knowledge throughout our conquests. It's been primarily spent defensively. Our champion vessel is a level 20 Spire Shadow Cruiser.
The current plan is the reduction of the AI core world remnants at Usje and Ockrew which will give us full control of our 4th cluster, along with the 2 golems and adv. research station contained therein. I'm a little concerned as this cluster has isolated a great deal of the AI reinforcement stream, which has been fairly easy to deal with - having it redirected to the greater expanse of AI space might be less manageable. With that accomplished, we can use our armored golems to begin to whittle down the 50,000 ship menace at Iusgio.
It's been a long, bitter slog and will only get harder, but we will prevail! (Or the AI will kill us and hollow out our bodies and use them as zenith siege engine gun-barrel-warming cozies).
