Sorched Galaxy (A 10/10 retry)

[chemical_art]

Taking several lessons from my first attempt, this is what my philosophy:

Question: Is it possible to knock down an AI homeworld with 3 planets? 2? 1?!?

Bonus points: Do it with cross planet attack waves on!

To help with these goals I intend to take the idea of a fortress homeworld to its limits:

Intended goals:
1) At least 5 super forts, including a super fortress.
2) Taking all the champion goodies
3) Abusing other goodies, including anti-spies
4) Abusing Dark Spire, to prevent doom CPA's later in the game.
5) Survive

Current progress so far:
1) The first 2:15:00 were a dancing match with the ai as we push back and forth as I got my champ to lvl 5.
a) Started working on ZPG on 00:30:00
2) From 2:15:00 to 2:50:00 was beating down first nebula, building ZPG
3)



4)ZPG finished on 3:11:00, leading to a frenzy of final defenses including finishing up all non sniper turret caps, and plobbing mk II shields make my entrance anchors from 40ish million hp to 120ish million HP

5) After repulsing the height of the CPA:




Now I feel confident to post this AAR progress

*I'm sure you notice I've avoided Dark Spire like the plague so far, to the point I don't even set ship on its world.*

[Cinth]

Just a heads up, Dark Spire do not intentionally target carriers.

[chemical_art]

Just a heads up, Dark Spire do not intentionally target carriers.

Good to know! Thankfully I aim to be ultra low aip

It begins, the scourging of the galaxy!

[chemical_art]

With a peak threat of 4K, the first wave has subsided and another nebula cleared:



I'll lick my wounds for a little while, build my anti spy and spire super fort (my Z one is fully done now), pop some barracks,  then stirr up another nest

[chemical_art]

Eeep! Save me my minions!

[keith.lamothe]

Eeep! Save me my minions!

Pretty funny imagining that in pony voice.

Nothing can save you now (probably), for the Dark Spire are marching forth to depose the evil overlord (probably)!

[chemical_art]

Haha Keith.

My minions were fabulous and managed to let less then a 100 ai ships onto my turf. Onto to more nebulae!

[Cinth]

Just a heads up, Dark Spire do not intentionally target carriers.

Also of note, when you hit super high threat levels (DS in full cascade type threat levels), the AI will send everything in carriers. CA attacks, waves, and CPAs. If you are playing with a champ, it can be somewhat beneficial to send it out to pop carriers so DS will hit the contents. Sometimes you will want the carriers to clear out the DS ships.

Don't expect Exos to be completely stopped either. Their speed boost will enable them to get through heavily infested planets.

Once you figure out how it all plays together, it is a blast to play with. The best way to keep a full cascade going is to set up a whipping boy on a VG planet. Constant AI ships and DS ships being put through a chipper-shredder will pill the galaxy with lots and lots of DS.

[chemical_art]

Come my minions! Combat the dark lord with the power of grey!

[chemical_art]

We are already playing this game?

That mad bomber is regretting his philosophy now.

[keith.lamothe]

That's a surprisingly substantial CPA for that time.

[chemical_art]

Impressive as that CPA was, about 100 ships got through to me.

For a few minutes a mass of 700 IV's were on my doorstep, but the pink (ai) were eventually swept away by the grey tide.

Neutering a potential AI HW is within reach, it is just a matter of patience. I got this done in 5 runs of nothing but pure champion runs.

[chemical_art]

Haven't been able to play due to adapting to a job in the third shift, but...

I know I'll win.

[chemical_art]

It took forever to build the necessary merc ships, but I finally got the forces I needed.

The highlight of what was essentially my victory lap as I finished my victory was during my second final AI clearing assault. I smashed the first remaining defenses which consisted of the usual MK III fort and shields.

As a side relevant note, I almost always play with sound off, and with music off about 2/3rds of the time. For kicks, I turned the music and sound on for this victory map.

It happened that as my horde hit the second HW the song Thor was at really high point, and so the fight of the nemesis + defenders against my horde was upbeat.  The nemesis were defeated and my siege brick crawled toward the final target,



 the music subsided. The song later returned to its highest crescendo* right as the AI fort III was in range. It roared its guns and cleaved its way through my horde, causing hundreds of thousands of M + C against my mercs. Despite me seeing this hundreds of games during the game the fact I watched for the first time in a long while look closely and watch the individual units' struggles against this fortifed spot was still enjoyable.

The rest of the session was simple. Was there any doubt?

I already have my next AAR in mind.


 *(band fans take it easy: This is acknowledged ignorance that in peasant speak means "The best part!")

[keith.lamothe]

Congratulations, a very good application of the New Cheese On The Block