I've never won with the Showdown on difficulty 10. I aim to change this. I'm also setting this up to be reasonably fair, with gentle minor factions/plots to compensate for the technologist aspect:
60 planets Spokes, Fireflies (1890059773)
Complete visibility, mono waves, ultra low caps, no swallowers. 2 champions*
10/10 Techno Turtle/Support Corps // Spire Hammer /Techno Sledge
Resistance 10
Rebellions 4
Golems Hard 4
Wardens 4
Enclaves 4
Civilian Leaders
Spirecraft 4
Alt champs 10 *(no mod forts, no minion starships)
Nemesis 7
Showdown Devices
Exodian Blade
Plots:
Hybrids 10/10
Advanced Hybrids 10/10
Shark B 0/4
Operation Opening Scramble
I have a sneaking suspicion that the spire fleet costs were not updated when their strength was tripled. So by the first wave, I have fireflies II and militaryIIIs unlocked. I also have every mkI turret with a bonus against heavy built, and the Negotiators have an all-laser build. And three additional forcefields built.
Against 6 frigates and a destroyer, it was barely enough. The champions were out of charge, and the forcefields were in the red. But nothing was lost. Compared the spire ships, the three caps of mkIV bombers barely registered, with the military substations holding them back.
The next forty minutes are a manic scramble to free all the civilian leaders. Thanks to fireflies, rapidly levelling champs, and jumpships, I have control of 3 of them when the hour is up, with the rest in empty systems. Then I instantly colonize 5 of them, for a total of 45 AIP reduction.
Consolidating takes a while.
Unlocks:
FirefliesIII
EnclavesIII
RiotsII
EngineersIII
HarvestersIII
Econ stationsIII
Military stationsIII
ForcefieldsII
Missile TurretsIII
Gravity TurretsIII
Captured:
Core Laser Controller
Both archives (extracted)
MLRS fab
Cursed Golem (repaired)
Artillery Golem (inactive)
FactIV, StarIV.
At 1:34 a wave declares. 1600 mkIV bombers, 31 mkIV starships to one of the hubs. I think I'm ready for it. I've got two shadow battleships, mkI fleetships/starships, mkIV enclaves, a cursed golem, 4 mkIII martyrs, 4 mk III translocators, missile turrets 1-IV, all turrets mkI, basic minefields, 2 penetrators, fireflies mkI-IV with full engineer support, core laser turrets, and a gravIII network, all around
The final carrier unloads. It has 2 frigates. And a cruiser. And 3 dreadnaughts. And decloakers, which, as their name suggests, decloak my rams, which are promptly obliterated. Also, gravity turrets simply melt to no effect against the spire fleet.
Fortunately, they decide to try to kill my cursed golem, which kites them easily. Still, a lot of damage was inflicted.
I repaired the damage and my artillery golem.
Hacked to redirect etherjets to railpods (and then capture that system), and download torpedo frigates, which I unlock to mkIII.
Next wave is dispatched without issue, thanks to the artillery golem.
The two hour mark passes, and I colonize the last civilian leaders. AIP 109.
