Arcen Games

General Category => AI War Classic => AI War Classic - After Action Reports => : Radiant Phoenix May 25, 2015, 11:42:10 PM

: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 25, 2015, 11:42:10 PM
I'm playing on 8/8 for the first time, and I decided to get some writing practice by AARing about it. (Basically all my over a dozen previous games were on 7/7. There might have been a 1/1 once upon a time, but if so, I can't find it, and of course I did the big tutorial)

First, the scenario:
Expansions: 1-4

Galaxy: 120-planet Clusters-Microcosm #104594, with complex ship types. Swallowers disabled.
Me: Human + Champion, +0%. Bonus: Spire Corvette
AI 1: Entrenched Homeworlder 8, +0%
AI 2: Zenith Descendant 8, +0%

Auto-AIP: Spire Civilian Leaders +0
AI Mods:
  • Schizophrenic
  • Reveal Random AI Types
AI Plots (Both AIs):
  • Avenger
  • Hybrid Hives 4
  • Advanced Hybrids 4
  • Warp Relays
Minor Factions: Almost everything.
  • Human Marauders 4
  • Human Resistance 4
  • Human Colony Rebellions 1
  • Zenith Dyson Sphere 4
  • Neinzul Preservation Wardens 4
  • Neinzul Roaming Enclaves 4
  • Fallen Spire 4
  • Spire Civlian Leaders
  • Broken Golems (Hard) 4
  • Spirecraft (Hard) 4
  • Dark Spire 4
  • Alt Champ Progress 10
  • Alt Champ Nemesis 4

I have picked a nice, easily defensible center of a concentric microcosm.

Starting Unlocks:
  • Scout II (0.5kK)
  • Engineer II (1.0kK)
  • CS-Econ II (4.0kK)
  • Needler II (0.5kK)
  • Laser II (0.75kK)
  • MLRS II (0.75kK)
  • Missile II (0.75kK)
  • HBC I (0.25 kK)
  • Sniper II (1.25 kK)
  • FF II (2kK)

Naturally, I immediately send my scouts to the only adjacent system, soon followed by my champion. Meanwhile, I'm plopping out about a dozen engineers and half a dozen SciLab-II

The first planet was popped... in the first two minutes, I think? Anyway, then I had enough K to unlock CS-Mil II, and put one of those down on the first planet, to improve its defenses.

To my momentary sadness, I lost the Ion Cannon to not clearing out the guardposts before capturing. Too bad, so sad, but I need to keep moving before the SCLs turn this into Agressive Stupidity -- Radiant Phoenix's Edition.

Scouting reveals two SCLs -- one behind a black hole machine, the other just two more hops clockwise around the inner ring. So I go for the second one.

A note: SCLs don't tick at 1min like the minor faction tip says. I presume that they will tick at 1 hour, but I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm quite glad that they don't tick at 1min, actually.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 25, 2015, 11:49:11 PM
Fast forward to the 30 minute mark. I've scouted a little further, and am preparing to capture the first Civilian Leader.

Both P0s are SCLs. The nearer one also has an ARS on the same system, with Space Tanks, Munitions Boosters, and MLRS, in that order. (Convenient that I don't see any reason to hack it...)

One P9 is the Black Hole Machine I mentioned, and the other is a Raid Engine. I think I can avoid the Raid Engine for a while, now that it's just one and not a dozen, like that time I played against a Raid Engine AI type. (The game's on my other computer. I'm pretty much ready to go for the homeworlds, but the beginning was very hacky)

I plan to put the Starship+ grade elements of my fleet there preemptively to guard the SCL once I capture the system, while my Fleet Ships aid the turrets on Yarpo in guarding the other front. (Yarpo is the system right next to my homeworld)
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 25, 2015, 11:53:48 PM
Last entry before bed.

Things seem good... for now.

EDIT: Note: this is where I'm currently up to in the game, so the next update won't happen until I play some more.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 26, 2015, 11:33:09 AM
Played some more while waiting in a waiting room.

Sent both SCRVs in to aid the Champ, specced sniper+shield, along with the Neinzul Enclave Starships, and a flagship. Popped the CS and moved the SciLabs in. Once things were mostly clear, sent in a colony ship and dropped another CS-Mil2. Cruiser was unlocked, so I respecced the Champ to that. N-S-CA has Vampirism, so no more shields.

Champion heads on to Zormbzor and Tachyon raids. I'm adjacent to the BHM now, and find it convenient that the Neinzul champ has immunity to BHMs.

Also built some Spirecraft Translocators to guard the CL -- a Mk1 and a Mk2.

Comments and suggestions welcome, and if you have ideas of sorts of things to screenshot, suggest them -- I'm still playing this game.

Major decisions I'm aware of:
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 26, 2015, 03:29:20 PM
Whee! More playing!

Zormbzor (AF Planet) has been scoured of ships, but I haven't popped the CS yet, because I'm considering some hacking.
The Champ is doing pretty well at scouring Chaisimurder (BHM planet) too, but I don't think I'll get the second SCL by 1:00:00

Suggestions?
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Pumpkin May 27, 2015, 06:03:23 AM
AdvFac detected: hack or capture?
You don't seem to go for an archipelago empire or a low-AIP game. Your plan is to take the whole (or a big part) of this microcosm, isn't it? So capture, IMO.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 27, 2015, 03:20:48 PM
Alright, I've decided: I don't care about ZSEs

I'll pop-and-capture that planet as per usual, and also work on capturing the BHM planet:
I don't think I'll manage to capture the second SCL before the hour.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 27, 2015, 03:42:02 PM
Popped the AFac planet CS, and started building a CS-Mil 2 there. Small fleet patrols that planet.

My Champion is working on the BHM planet, and I'm prepping a transport with a mobile builder and colony ship for that planet, when suddenly, Hybrids! Unlock Assault Transports and Mk3 Needler, Laser, MLRS, Missile, Sniper turrets. And then I get another splinter faction: Shattered Pilar.

I'm also sending a fleet of 5x Scout Starship Mark I to explore the galaxy a bit. Trying to make it to the likely site of AI 1's homeworld.

Wait, what the hug? Why won't the transport unload (http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=16871)?

By the way, the scout starship fleet didn't make it very far.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Toranth May 27, 2015, 04:49:24 PM
Wait, what the hug? Why won't the transport unload (http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=16871)?
Remember, you cannot unload transports outside of the inner gravity well.  And, sort of bug-ish, the dashed circles you see don't quite line up with the actual borders of the gravity well.  In this case, although the line appears to be slightly up and left of your transports, you are actually already on it.  Move the transport down-and-right a little, and you'll be able to unload fine.

(In my experience, the lines are usually shifted a little up-left - which means you can sometime unload/place structures beyond the line in the lower-right)
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 27, 2015, 05:20:14 PM
Wait, what the hug? Why won't the transport unload (http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=16871)?
Remember, you cannot unload transports outside of the inner gravity well.  And, sort of bug-ish, the dashed circles you see don't quite line up with the actual borders of the gravity well.  In this case, although the line appears to be slightly up and left of your transports, you are actually already on it.  Move the transport down-and-right a little, and you'll be able to unload fine.

(In my experience, the lines are usually shifted a little up-left - which means you can sometime unload/place structures beyond the line in the lower-right)
I'll try that in the next episode.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 27, 2015, 10:12:43 PM
Alright, 11 more minutes on the clock. Moving the transport worked.

I've finished capturing the AFac planet, and fortifying it somewhat, but that's taking a backseat to fortifying the BHM planet, which also has a Captive Human Settlement on it. The BHM gives me the liberty of putting my CS-under-glass basically wherever I want, so I'm putting it next to the +15 AIP structure.

Next steps: grab the second SCL and fortify it, and sabotage-hack the Raid Engine.

Also, I redesignated P9, and assigned P8 to the old P9 -- P9 is now where I think the AI Homeworlds are.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 06:35:03 PM
Built more turrets, moved west fleet to BHM planet, harvested all the K, built more turrets. I'm so glad I did the calcs and learned the Fortresses aren't as impressive as they look, because if I were trying to build those, everything would take ten times as long (Well, not quite -- I'm spending M on other things too). Also, the Mourners showed up at my homeworld, so I'm building their ships now. Also finishing the Hacker and building a transport for it.

Shadow Cruiser raids second SCL planet, while the eastern fleet raids Sofo's guard posts. Unfortunate things happen to the latter (half the fleet dies, which I think is about a million metal, or 6 minutes of production), so I'm going to try to avoid such things expeditions in the future, although this did convince the Preservation Wardens to come play, which might prove advantageous. I think I'm going to have my facilities prioritize rebuilding the cheap ships in their loops. Also, next time: maybe raid starships? It's a pity that I can't pack Offroad ships in transports...

Shadow Cruiser seemed to be doing fine, but some AI reinforcements showed up. I think it's Special Forces, because of the dozen Riot Control Starships. Still, that's one eye poked out. Time to send my respawned Champion the other way.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 06:59:20 PM
Hmm... I think I should load my Bombers and Space Tanks into the Assault Transport. They're the most expensive fleet ships to replace. Also, turrets are done, and I'm not sure what to spend another 3000K on. Forcefields? Better turrets? Raid Starships with missile immunity? Unfortunately, none of the Offroad ships are anti-Structural or anti-Heavy, so I'll need to look elsewhere to deal with Hybrid Hives. Really wishing I had the Spire champ and Plasma Siege Cannons, because those have about a 25x multiplier against [Heavy] targets under [Structural] forcefields. (Wait, do Plasma Siege Cannons care about the hull type of the thing under the forcefield, or just about how much damage they dealt to the forcefield? Can someone tell me?)

Huh, the champ popped. Apparently not having Insanity Inducers is relevant. Let's run it at the problem again, but this time try to wipe out Hybrid Hives. Much better. I <3 vampirism. Also range exceeding Radar Dampening. Totally worth giving up +50% base damage and +167% light slots, at least to me.

Oh hey, some roaming enclaves have joined me. Also, my economy stabilized. Time to punch it with some anti-medium Offroad ships and some cloaker starships. Also, a scout mission, although that's much cheaper.

Another eye bites the dust, and so does my scouting mission. It's almost like the AI is trying to hide something from me...
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 08:37:03 PM
I played a bit more but then my computer froze and I lost the progress and the journal entry. I've enabled some kernel updates I didn't even know existed before, which might fix the problem.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 08:42:24 PM
Oh, wow, I think this solved my overheating problem.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 09:03:07 PM
Things I remember from the last try:
Okay, that's done, and the BHM system is now renamed The BHM System. Some other worlds are also renamed.

Champ is patrolling Sofo, and all unlocked Offroad ships are built, and in the East Fleet. Also, some Neinzul Roaming Enclaves showed up.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 09:16:11 PM
The AI likes its Plasma Siege Starships, I see. Wait, captured human settlements are immune to forcefields? What does that even mean?

... Oh hey, I have an economy again. Time to beachhead. With some cloaker starships to hide my beachheadding supplies.

Raiders from the north of SCL 1, but I expect to repel them easily.

... oops! I left my beachheading supplies behind! Better fix that...

"Waiting AI Threat on Raid Engine 1 Border North is  Spawning a Warp Relay (50%)"

Okay, you know what? I'm done with this "sabotage hacking" plan. It's time for my Champ to pop the raid engine. I'll take the wave, and the AIP.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 09:32:43 PM
Alright, Raid Engine down, Warp Relay disrupted. Champ, clear what you can in that system and drive over to Sofo to re-clear it. (No, you're not ready for a Fortress 3)

Oh, hey, my economy started back up. Build some raid starships. What, that won't cut it? How about some lightning turrets? Riot Control Starships?

Whatever, time to build some turrets.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 09:40:07 PM
Raid Engine down, Warp Relay disrupted. Champ, clear what you can in that system and drive over to Sofo to re-clear it. (No, you're not ready for a Fortress 3)

Oh, hey, my economy started back up. Build some raid starships. What, that won't cut it? How about some lightning turrets? Riot Control Starships? Whatever, time to build some turrets.

"You thought it was just some minor Sniper Turrets, but it was us! Missile and Needler Turrets!"

... I think I just killed so many AI ships I got reprisal up to level 1.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 10:05:33 PM
Okay, turrets up, pop the barracks, kill the things that come out, and... don't take the planet, encapsulating a group of the AI's forces, because I forgot to do that. Didn't pop the CS, though. Next step: SCL2. ... after a quick tachyon-pop. Also, put some more mobile defenses on SCL 1. Like some Leech Starships, a flagship, and some spirecraft. Wait, does everything on SCL1 have a Heavy hull type now? Better fix that somehow... maybe some Bomber Starships.

SCL2's AI CS is popped... maybe I should have hacked the fortress? Too late for that now. Let's see if I can pop it from outside my radar-dampening range. Yes! Yes I can! Now I just wait a bit...

Also, definitely not going for the Super Terminal for more than a couple seconds. SCLs are much more reliable.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 29, 2015, 10:14:06 PM
WOOT! Spire Shadow Cruiser unlocked! Not that I'm going to use it right now, seeing as I don't have its special modules...

Oh, some waves on SCL1... Heh, look at those translocators kick that Leech Starship around the system... it's like they're playing football, and it's the ball.

Fortress down in SCL2, freeing me to put ships on FRD there, as long as they're immune to the Ion Cannon. In you go, offroaders!

Next stop: actually putting a Command Station in that system without getting the SCL killed. Maybe Riots are the way to go?
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 06:51:43 PM
A new day dawns, time for more AI War. Unlock Forcefield-3, plop one over SCL#2 with a mobile builder before it gets Ionized. Repair the Offroad fleet, and send the champ to capture Sofo.

Oh, look, the Broken Golem Exo-wave announced. Let's build more spirecraft. And turrets. Oh look, time for some Matter Converters (3). And scrap half the science vessels, for +30k energy. Haha, look: my economy is crying.

And... Shadow Battleships unlocked.

I think I should do a teensy bit of gate-raiding, maybe. You know, clear out some of the threat avenues to make the Exo-wave come the long way. But first, delicious guard posts. Also, capturing SCL 2 now that the forcefield is up. And more scouting. ("Many Scout Drones died to bring us this information...")

You know what? Capturing SCL 2 needs a higher priority than building turrets. Snooze some in Inner Gate South, along with some of the Spirecraft under construction.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 07:35:23 PM
... WTF? The SCLs ticked 3 minutes before the hour! ... or maybe it was just on-capture? Either way, I've got turrets to build, and AI stuff to kill. And planets to scout, now that a few more Tachyon Sentinels are down; can't forget that... Finally! A Broken Golem! Oh, wow, repairing Ion Cannons is expensive. That can just go out the window, then.

Anyway, capturing another planet, hoping to get CS-Mil 3 before... "Incoming AI Exogalactic Strikeforce detected (50%) [Spirecraft - Hard]" ... that. Golems at 62%. In the good corner, IMT showed up. I really want those Insanity Inducers, though...

CS-Mil 3s up. Back to building turrets and killing threat. Wave hits CS-Mil 3, but is basically eaten by the Offroad fleet with a little turret-help. Hmm... since I can't really hold Ion Cannons, how about I just don't worry about capturing them, and pop them for easier beachheading?

Exo-Wave 3 announced: Champion Nemesis. I'm going to build a Survey Ship and gather the whole gang. Broken Golems at 70%... no, you may not have a warp relay! Beachhead, kill them all! Even the special forces!
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 08:02:23 PM
Hmm, I think I'll pop the two interior planets, to keep defense simpler... oh right, stupid Barracks. Beachheading, assemble!

Oh look, another warp relay. I need to beachhead three more planets now. Stupid threat, NOBODY LIKES YOU!

[OutOfGame]Ohfor... my computer had a couple momentary freezes, and now has a stack of crash reports a mile high. Those would probably have been terminal freezes before I upgraded my kernel and graphics driver. At least nothing important crashed. Also, left-alt got stuck for a moment, but pushing it unstuck it, so I think things are good now.[/OutOfGame]

More Beachheads, more Matter Converters. 83% to Exo Wave: Golems. 63% to Warp Relay. One Barracks popped.


: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 08:14:42 PM
Alright, popped the two inner planets, so I can colonize them, which incidentally disables the AI fortress inside my borders. Both are colonized with CS-Econ, and my beachheading supplies move to the Western Front.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 09:00:45 PM
Beachhead and subspace scan. Seems like good things to do in parallel. INSANITY INDUCERS! YAYZORZ!

Wow, Self-Destruction guardians are good against turrets. Let's upgrade. Also, a shard showed up when I surveyed. Seems good. The named exo-waves will strike soon. As opposed to the AI just being slightly aggressive.

And... shard is back, building transciever. Economy's singing a sad song from paying for all those Mk4 turrets I'm now building.

Huh, the golem Exo-waves don't look so impressive, but... 14k strength? I'd better tanky up... Or maybe not? Things seemed to go well.

FortifyFortifyFortify... oh hey, the AI wiped out the Engies and rebuilders in one system, better fix that. The Subspace Survey completed too. Time to do that, while my Champ Tachyon drills. Maybe also push the Eastern front? Only after some scouting.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 30, 2015, 09:30:39 PM
Some surveying has revealed an alien refugee ship. I'm sure you can imagine how this goes, but 500k is quite expensive for me right now. Meanwhile, after some vigorous tachyon drilling by Champ, the first Vengeance Generator is discovered in the northern wilderness, and the third SCL in the South-central Wilderness.

2.5k mysterious strength showed up, probably from an exo-wave that had its leader popped, so my champion will have to deal with that before going back to tachyon drilling. (Ugh, an Arachnid guardpost under glass)

Oh, look, a 2,200 ship CPA... should I worry?

EDIT: Actually, it's only 2,202. I misread.

: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 31, 2015, 03:02:26 PM
Moar scouting! Capturing Kiasnoquon so I'll get some salvage there from Exo-waves, and back to tachyon drilling for Champ.

Oh look, a Vengeance Generator and a Spire Civilian Leader just kind of chilling together in the northern wilderness... I'm sure that will be fun. Subspace signal on SCL 1. Survey Ship! To the Empiremobile! Dyson Sphere found in the southern wilderness. It's in a target-rich environment, so I'll let it vent its rage right now. I also found a Zombard design backup in SCL 3. Time for le sabotage.

Plasma Siege Cannons unlocked. That's 2.5kdps/mark/slot against the right targets, when I'm in spire mode. I also have a pile of extra metal, so I'm going to build that MkV Zenith Starship I have a fab for... oh wait, I need better defenses -- my BHM was nearly popped! Spire ModFort time! (Yeah, I know I'll have to rebuild it later at a choke. I'll be able to take it by then. I think I'll also gate-raid the Super Terminal system...

Here comes the CPA. How do these things work, anyway? I see a carrier in Choke South, but it seems to be just faffing about. Oh look, two waves and an Exo-Wave of Champs. I think CPAs are just balls of threat? Still, that can be annoying until I get my Spire Cities up...
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 31, 2015, 09:29:41 PM
Finally, my first data center! And SCL 5!

Carriers are popped, and I my champion should be able to mop up the mess in a few respawns... wait, is that another carrier? TO THE WARHEADS! (Lightning 1) ... I clearly didn't resort to enough, because half the fleet's still there. Threat dropped by about 9k strength, though. After much fiddling, I decided to beachhead. That went well, and a cap of Mk4 Missile Turrets and Mk4 Needler Turrets, supported by my Champ, was quite able to mop up the remaining ~3-4k threat in the system.

Whoa, SpecFor is swarming all over that Zombard Design Backup... hmm, can I still hack it?

Champ is busy clearing out guard posts in the outer ring, so I won't have to worry about as much resistance when I capture those in the future. Luneiock has nothing important on it that can be killed, so I can just capture it and put some of the neutered planets on alert. Hmm... let's see if my Spire Refugee Fleet can take down wormhole guardposts in a reasonable amount of time... wait, why am I bothering? I was going to capture this planet anyway, let's just expedite that.

So, I've got another planet under my belt, and yet another to capture before I step out of my outer ring. Oh hey, I have a bunch of K. Let's get Econ 3.

... SpecFor is driving right through my shiny new planet. I'm not sure whether to be happy that they're showing up to die, or upset that the paint keeps getting scratched.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 31, 2015, 10:13:10 PM
I think I'm ready to take Choke South, and put a city there. Once again, nothing terribly important here, other than the location, so I'm not to worried about beachheading or whatnot. Station pops, colony ship and science vessels go in, fleet goes in, champ goes tachyon drilling. A forcefield will go up, because the city isn't there yet. Turrets won't go under the forcefield (Except Lightning), because that's dumb, so I'll have to move them later.

Unlocking Lightning Turret IV and Sniper Turret IV for defense. Time to beachhead the Zombard system and hack it... actually, maybe I'll go man-mode and not beachhead it... nah. Some of the outer ring systems do need beachheading, though. Zombard hack is successful, time to colonize before the hour, so we go into the black red ??? on AI Progress over time.

I have decided to "always display planet names", for the benefit of all y'alls watching out there.

EDIT: I think now is the time to unlock Scout IV, and drive all over the galaxy scouting everything
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 31, 2015, 10:19:40 PM
Minor update: A Vengeance Generator and a Black Hole Machine on the same planet.  :o
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix May 31, 2015, 11:41:45 PM
Scoutingscoutingscouting ALL LE EVERYTHINGS!

I'm going to build a ModFort on my one of my two future whipping boys... Neinzul with Bombers (because good against what I expect to encounter) and Nanosubverters (because Insanity Inducers aren't going to help me enough to offset the longterm gains of proper capture, I think). I'm also going to unlock Spider Turret 1 to do some engine damage to things. I hope that works on Exo-waves.

Alright, AI2 HW revealed. What's the damage? Teuthida + Grav. That sounds... intimidating. Snipers and Gravity is a strong combination... BUT NOT AS STRONG AS WRATH LANCE + GRAVITY! ZOMG, my first Wrath Lance! ... fortunately it's right next to the wormhole. Of course, there's also a Core Raid Engine, but who cares about that with what's right next to it?

I think I know enough to safely take the North Choke, but I'd like to hack the fab first, to ensure nothing unfortunate happens to it.

And now, I rename most of the systems in the galaxy. Because why not?

AI 1 HW:
AI 2 HW:
Also Attached: The big picture.

(http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17568.0;attach=9547;image)
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 01, 2015, 08:30:37 PM
Hmm... I feel like I should put the city up on the south choke now. Both to make it easier to defend, and so I'll have some more Spire capital ships to drive around. Beachheading the North Choke first, though, and maybe hacking its fab too.

"An abnormally strong hybrid is somewhere in the galaxy"

Better liberate the Dyson Sphere, I think.

A wave showed up on my choke -- that's a lot of IREs! I captured 100 of about 1600 with my modfort.

The golem wave is impending here, so I think I should gate-raid some systems that are pointing at my back door... except apparently my champion evaporates under a stiff breeze now, so I need to be sneaky about this... or maybe just warhead all the threat. That sounds good too. My budget has room for more Cloaker Starships. And the Human Modular Fortress, to put nanos on the other choke when the time comes... AKA, now. Nanos and... bomber bays, because I can't afford to unlock HBC 3 right now.

Meanwhile, a missile silo from SCL 2 to lightning that system with 9000 threat. Or maybe from SuperTerminal... Anyway, the blob is mostly IRE-4, with some Z-Repro 4 backup. Should be handled by a single L-1. Champ will bait them into position for the strike. But first, I punch my economy with three more matter converters.

Boom, Headshot! The lightning warhead wipes out almost all the threat, leaving my champion to mop up the rest of the mess.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 01, 2015, 09:10:37 PM
I think I won't hack paralyzers, so it's time to take the North Choke. I'm out of CS-Mil-3, so I'll redeploy the one from BHM

... wait, is a single spire starships building a warp relay by itself? I CALL SHENANIGANS!

Anyway, much smashing of faces later, I think I'm going to actually build the first city. Oh, enormous exo-waves, how I've missed you...

Now, how do I best deal with a Vengeance Generator? To the researchmobile! (Speaking of which, science vessels are done on Dyson Sphere)


: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: CaptainTaz June 01, 2015, 09:29:09 PM
I think I won't hack paralyzers, so it's time to take the North Choke. I'm out of CS-Mil-3, so I'll redeploy the one from BHM

... wait, is a single spire starships building a warp relay by itself? I CALL SHENANIGANS!

Anyway, much smashing of faces later, I think I'm going to actually build the first city. Oh, enormous exo-waves, how I've missed you...

Now, how do I best deal with a Vengeance Generator? To the researchmobile! (Speaking of which, science vessels are done on Dyson Sphere)
This is what I know

Vengence generators are invincible, and once triggered, will always trigger again whenever another is triggered.

To trigger one, somewhere between 3-10 ships have to die ( idk the number exactly) and it will summon Dark spire ships that will fight and attack you AND the AI. the generator is NOT triggered by dark spire ships dying, only AI and Human. Dyson gatlings, stationary structures, Human resistance fighters, and marauders also trigger them, as well as roaming enclave/Preservation warden STARSHIPS (Drones do not count, thank GOD)

If you plan to claim this planet, I recommend putting a decent defense with automated repair (a rebuilder on FRD, if you will) and a decent bit of turrets.

They will continuously trigger too, so if it triggers once during a big battle, be ready for fleets to be spawning at other planets that have been triggered too. (I had a bottleneck with one of these on it... lemme tell ya... it's not pretty...) Highest amount of ships I've seen from one at any time would probably be about 65.

The minor faction intensity determines how many there are. higher intensity = more of them

My suggestion, be fortified. The ships can and WILL leave the sector if there is nothing to attack, however, I've only had one instance of one leaving it's sector while in my space, and that was AFTER my awful defense was smooshed. Once you get the hang of defending against them, you just have to be mindful of how many ships you're killing on a planet with one.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 01, 2015, 10:46:28 PM
The first game I watched, the players screwed up a Nebula mission, I think it was the dimensional prison, and unleashed a huge flood of baddies, who I think were Dark Spire, on the galaxy. I'm aware that things like this can happen.

That said, if you look at the map I think it's clear that I'm going to be at the very least popping the Com-Shield guardpost and AI Command Station there, and likely the three tachyon sentinels, so I would be cutting it pretty close trying not to set it off.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 02, 2015, 05:34:05 PM
Alright, strategy time in the armchair by the fireplace. Here's the current objectives map:

(http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17568.0;attach=9563;image)

I have four main issues before me:
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 02, 2015, 06:15:08 PM
I have decided on the Following course of action:
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 02, 2015, 07:17:57 PM
Blahblah, stopped after about -70 AIP. A human settlement died somewhere (not sure where), costing 15 of that.

Found the Super-Hybrid. Time to kill it. The tiny spire fleet supported by my champion and my core Z-reprocessors do the job fine, now that my Scout-4 found it. That resets its build points, right?

AI Champions exo-wave into my choke, dying quickly.

Consolidation done.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 03, 2015, 09:57:33 PM
Capturing North Lawn East and AFac 2. (No hack, I've already got one)

Another Exo-Wave shows up, but it is very adequately repelled.

Huh, apparently I need to order engineers to be done helping a modfort.

Wait, what? When I did I start repairing that regenerator golem? Oh well, more toys for me!

Signal found in the BHM system, so let's get to that. Chase waves fail to penetrate. Conveniently, the planet they prefer to come through isn't very important to me. They did pave over my colonizing forces in AFAC 2, though, which is inconvenient.

And... the regular FS exo-wave shows up. I am starting to get irritated.

Okay, fine, threatball, you won't die to ordinary insanity inducers because of your fancy-schmancy mk5 ships, or a turret ball because of your snipers. Time for a different approach. Human Shadow Battleship, I choose you! Lasers + Shields!

Oh, huh, I guess the reason I don't have my Spire Cruiser yet is that I didn't order it built. Oops!

Threatball gone. Time to build a city (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXezjFLTl-c)... once the colony ship gets there. Why is that thing immune to speed boosts? At this rate I'll be taking three waves at once: Broken Golems, Fallen Spire, and Fallen Spire City.

Whatever, time to live dangerously.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 03, 2015, 10:08:09 PM
50k threat appears in an instant. I had better succeed.

[a minute or so passes]

Half the threat gone. I think I've done it... is that a Hunter/Killer? (Not anymore! Threat gone.)
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 03, 2015, 11:11:53 PM
The time has come to push beyond Vengeance... once I finish building some city modules, at least

Well, that was fast -- the Dark Spire showed up just about immediately, but were killed off by the AI. Hey, I've got a great idea: Let's feed a bunch of random fleet ships to the Dark Spire! ... nothing of signficance happened, AFAICT. Let's try something better: holding a planet with one on it.

EMP Guardian detonation. Better deal with that. AW CRAP, IT'S GOING THE OTHER WAY AROUND! THIS IS WHERE CS-LOG COME IN HANDY! Okay, it's dead.

Champ died after 3 DCs and a dozen or so tachyon sentinels. A good run, I would say.

Special Forces is visibly patrolling between the halves of the galaxy.

Welp, poking the Dark Spire makes me want to withdraw the aggro fleet and let the AI deal with it, and deal with it it does. Let's do that again.

City 2 has evolved. Build more buildings. Also, pop the eggshell human forcefield.

... and... the AI is too good at killing the Dark Spire. I need to actually take the planet.

Another shard signal. I'm obviously going to take it.

Summary: "Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!"

Dark Spire 4/10 is merely a curiosity at diff8, apparently. Unless maybe I can start killing exo-waves on a vengeance planet.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 04, 2015, 01:01:30 AM
More fires to put out:
CPA. Almost popped my SCL3, but I was just fast enough. Never again. ZSTM.

I did a bunch of running around, popped another two DCs, and need to refocus.

Objectives:
I should really have been in bed hours ago. This game is so addictive.

EDIT: Oh, and I activated two or three more VGs. Because I care. Also, captured the planet with one of them. Surely this will tip the scales...
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 04, 2015, 02:33:40 PM
Another day in the trenches.

Objectives for today:
Also cleared out a bunch of threat.

: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 04, 2015, 03:37:21 PM
The shard showed up. More Exo-Waves.

Whoops! I forgot about auto-attrition out of supply! Good thing I didn't send anything irreplaceable...

I guess I'll take... Jungle: West Gate? Yeah, seems legit.

After much trial, travail, exo-wave, and killing of exo-waves, I have a toehold in the Jungle. (Note: I just realized that my ATs lost an extra 25% health because of the CoPro in the way. I'll do something about that the next time I need to go through there.

Next, I think I'll liberate that SCL to the north of my toehold.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 04, 2015, 04:09:09 PM
So, liberating the toehold. First stop: busting up a fortress. I don't feel like waiting an hour to build an armored warhead, and lightning won't do the job, so Champ is the best of a tedious set of options.

Oh, right... um... let's build city 4 on SCL 1. And tank those waves.

I guess I'm going to find out if an SCL on a neutral planet decreases AIP. +6|7 -6|9 this tick (because one is off-time) from 538. Or... maybe I'll just capture it right now. Immediate -3 AIP from SCL. I think that answers my question: Neutral = hostile.

Now I'm punching a hole to drive my colonization through to the CSG. (Not capturing the intermediate planet, though)
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 04, 2015, 05:24:58 PM
Huge threatball. I think a warhead is in order. Oh, right, Missile Frigates are immune to normal warheads, and lightning doesn't do enough per-target damage to kill starships.

Wow, that tiny fleet I was ignoring because it was so tiny is spawning a warp gate? Spire Fleet: Stomp.

Okay, CSG-A down, another planet captured.

Time to capture another SCL.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 10, 2015, 03:29:59 PM
Note: Please wait warmly while distros are upgraded. I'll probably get back to this eventually.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Traveller June 10, 2015, 06:48:16 PM
Looking forward to the return, this is a lot of fun to follow!
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 12, 2015, 11:18:33 PM
Okay, I'm back in the saddle. According to my notes, my next objective is to capture the SCL in the system with my champion in it.

On further observation, I think my subsequent objectives will be, in some order:
Or maybe... I'll try to do #0, #3, and #5 at the same time. Yeah, that's the plan.

Hmm...
Huh? Where'd that 4kSTR threat come from? Oh, my spire fleet poked a vengeance generator. I guess I'll just pull them back a bit.

I require additional scouts for picketing, so there goes a little K.

Another super-hybrid! And the AI blew up a minor CS!

... I think I'll just pop that co-pro so I can have better logistics with my lunchboxes...

Oh look, threat building warp relay. Another fire to put out... Really tempted to go for that exo-transciever. Champ just doesn't cut it anymore.

...wait, did I set off a core raid engine? WTF? Why do I keep getting indications that my ships are dying on random planets?

... SO MUCH THREAT CLEARING! There was like 100k strength before I packed the Spire Fleet in the lunchbox and drove around stomping it flat. This doesn't even count the, like, five exo-waves.
: Re: My First Real AAR -- Also My First 8/8
: Radiant Phoenix June 12, 2015, 11:44:03 PM
Alright, the super-hybrid is dead, and threat is... relatively low.

Thus, objectives:
... actually, maybe I'm getting a bit burned out on this campaign. Maybe I should take a break and do something easier for a bit. Like try a small-galaxy demo speedrun.

Well, either way, no more AI War tonight