Completed Let's Multiplay Alpha Centauri - Binary Dawn - Game 5

[Hellraiser]

SPARTA STRONG

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 5 days in the 61st year of the Spartan Era, bringing you the latest progress on our march along the Sparta Way towards creating the New Man on Chiron. Staying informed is your duty! Knowledge is Power!

Spartans continue their pre-emptive strike against the degenerate occultocracy of the so called Gaian Coven which is growing like a vile infected boil on the Conluvia continent. Having successfully made landing at the end of Sparta Era Year 60, they entrenched their position inside a vile xenofungus field and struck on what was known as Bastard Hellspawn shortly after the new year has begun.

The degenerates have left the base undefended, sending in a garrison just mere moments before our forces struck from the shadows, in a spectacularly efficient tactical movement that only our Colonel Santiago’s strategic genius could have developed. When they realized what was happening, it was already too late as Spartans stormed the outpost and cleansed it.

Significant damage has also been inflicted by Spartan Cavalry elsewhere on the east coast of the cesspool continent tainted by Gaian paganism and maggot-worship. The Gaian tumor shall be excised, its taint not threatening the Way and the effort of creating the New Man. Their alien pets will be turned to ash and their disgusting covens grinded down to sand and scattered with the winds of Promised History.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTESTED IN:

>>FEDERATION

DUTY

SPARTEX

VAULT-CO BLOG

NEANDERTHALS

SPARTA STRONG!

Our military-industrial strength is unparalleled on Chiron. Our domination in discipline, morale and arms is an ongoing status quo of superiority on Chiron for over six decades since the Spartan Era begun with Planetfall after Year Zero.

Multiple arms manufacturers such as Weller Munitions, Luzur Rifling & Demolitions or BLOBERT INDUSTRIES supply Citizens with enough weaponry to take down any hostile force. Live fire exercises are available to any citizen from the ages of six and up not as a luxury but as a duty to the Federation. They’re doing their part!

The Federation not only can but has outfitted every citizen with multiple pieces of firearms, explosives or heavy weaponry. Even if we wanted to outfit helots with weaponry, the industries of Laconia can provide anyone living in Laconia with enough weaponry and ammunition to destroy a force of a hundred invaders. From the timeless classics such as bullets and TNT, to photons and kinetic slugs, our arsenals both private and federate, are stockpiled to the brim with tools of freedom and victory.

And now for a message from Spartan industry investing in invasion.

As originally described in the great book of Clevology and announced on the VAULT-CO BLOG, ITZ the Golden Era Foods jar of anti-riot baby food, now available in legendary Turkey Mash flavor! It contains two kilos of lethal mass which can be thrown with murderous self-defensive intent against any would be rioter. Yes, the legendary self-defense technique proven 100% effective during the L.A. Riots of the late XXth century can now also be used by you! Just chug it towards the face of any looter, after you buy it! Skull-crushing force guaranteed!

Buying Golden Era Foods jars of baby food not only provides you or your children with all the emergency rations you need when the ultimate doom expansion pack comes, it contains all the vital nutrients needed to develop true Neanderthal features such as TITANIUM BONES. And most importantly, every federation credit spent on Golden Era Foods helps us fund the War Effort against the Gaian Occultocracy. Stockpile now, for the Federation! A 2 kilo jar of ‘thal baby food a day keeps the riots and pagan witches away!

”Would you like to know more?”

SPARTA STRONG

The TURN is 61. ITZ coming to the Gaians.

After some setbacks, including one of my transport foils supporting the invasion with [redacted] aboard disappearing (probably a save game corruption bug, no combat message or anything), my invasion force has finally arrived and I did some purging, thanks to sanctions being lifted. Technically it landed last year, and was chilling in fungus next to a Gaian base. While TROYTRON spotted it and named the tile as a landmark called “Bugger off” he couldn’t do anything about it I guess.

I decided to attack now and not last TURN for reasons. Burned one base down, did also some other damage.

As for why dogpile Gaians with Lal’s help, I already knew earlier where everybody landed pretty much at the earliest possible point in the game, due to ending up on the same continent as the Unity wreck which contains the thing that reveals starting location tiles (and bases, if you settle at the starting tile).

Based on that I expected Gaia to be kept in check by the University, but Absinthe got shafted (supposedly he lost a colony pod to worms) and is pretty much sandwiched between Gaians and Morgans as a borderline microstate with no room to expand.

So instead we have Gaians with lots of land grabbed on the largest continent, lots of free space, lots of ICS-ish bases, quite a bit of a pop advantage and previously tech advantage. Plus I started in pretty much the same spot as when I played the Peacekeepers last game, while Gaians are in the same position as the Hive that game, so I drew some conclusions from that. Lastly there is of course the LARP factor.

Also I know the baby food jar was 60 oz in CLEVE's original post about his L.A. riots experience, but I figure a 'thal can log over 70 oz jars at looters with no sweat anyway. Plus metric would obviously survive Earth and be used by Sparta, kang dong length units on the other hand not so much. Hence the nice round 2 kg or 70-ish royal microschlongs, or whatever oz means anyway.

 

[TROYTRON]

MASS SACRIFICES TERRORIZE INVADERS

Fire burn and cauldron bubble! For the past five lifecycles, we have been beset upon by invading missionaries from the west and the east. Claiming a “civilizing mission”, these UN Charter-thumping fundamentalists seek to impose their puritan “moral code” on the rest of Planet, preaching their high and mighty doctrine of “human rights” – as if there was ever any such thing, other than the Devil-given right to get high and get laid!

Naturally, we lacked any defenses whatsoever – after all, we were far too busy living a life of boundless luxury to concern ourselves with such material necessities! Facing the products of a bloated military-industrial complex, we were left with no alternative but to pray to our pagan gods, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of our thralls in a display that rivalled the consecration of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan, all in return for momentary salvation from the missionary scourge.

And what salvation our pagan gods did provide! For their crimes against Gaia’s Covens, the missionaries found themselves struck with terror they could scarcely have imagined, their vaunted “moral code” utterly worthless against the psionic onslaughts of Pleasure Worms, wild and domesticated alike! Of course, this was greatly aided by the fact that, like all self-professed puritans throughout history, Commissioner Lal’s missionaries are nothing but hypocrites of the highest order! One need only witness their sheer fecundity enabled by mass orgies and sexual slavery on the slopes of Mount Planet, breeding their population like rabbits in order to overrun the world through sheer numbers!

With such moral degeneracy going on at home, it is no wonder that Lal’s missionaries lack in any moral backbone when facing us!

Spoiler

The first wave has been dealt with, but the damage was severe. Those pricks took out 7 of my 26 bases, many of which were sited on prime real estate. Admittedly they weren’t particularly well developed, but lost minerals are lost minerals. Also lost energy income – between the +1 from the base tile, another +1 from running Freehold, and the +1 from building Recycling Tanks everywhere, that’s 21 energy a turn I’m not getting as a result of their depredations.

I did manage to catch a lucky break this turn, when one of my patrolling foils found and sank a transport heading my way with a cargo of deadly rape-rovers. Very lucky, in fact; if I hadn’t caught it this turn, they would’ve unloaded next turn and been much harder to kill.

That’s right! Revenge for sinking my transport filled with friendly Gaian emissaries. Emissaries whose mission was perfectly justified, by the way, as a means of ensuring the free and fair exchange of information with the Unity mission.

Also, an amusing occurrence from a few turns ago; as I am last in the turn order, I got to witness the native life coming to aid me against the Peacekeeping menace. The gods are truly on my side!

Kalin is now pop-booming like crazy, already at 50+ pop with no sign of slowing down, guaranteeing he will hold the Governorship for the near future. He’s rushed the Weather Paradigm about a decade ago, so I expect him to begin raising a land bridge to me soon.

So far, everyone else seems content to sit back and watch me get piled on by Kalin and Hellraiser, which is understandable of them really, considering how far away they all are from the action. The real question is what they think is going to happen after they finish me off.

The next few decades are gonna suck.

 

[Kalin]

NEWSFLASH THEME

NEWSFLASH! Zoloto-Gold neutralized in surprise raid!

28 Nov M.Y. 2165 - Commissioner Lal has authorized extended peacebringing operations against Prokhor Zakharov and his unethical followers, long-time allies and prime suppliers of illegal arms technology to deranged Deirdre's devilish death cult. "The Gaians have proven themselves to be a determined enemy", the Commissioner said, justifying his actions as strictly necessary to bring about final victory and fulfill the precepts of the Unity Mission. "Thanks to close cooperation with our Spartan pact brothers we have inflicted a deadly wound upon the beast; it is bruised and battered, though not yet beaten. Any aid given to Gaia is an act of aggression against the Unity, thus our vendetta now applies to Zakharov as well!"

The former Unity Chief Science Officer has been sentenced to death in abstentia by the U.N. High Court of Justice. Commissioner Lal expressed his hopes that his old colleague would "disband his forces immediately and open his illegal laboratories for the inbound Peacekeeping Forces to avoid further bloodshed." Naturally, Zakharov himself will still have to pay the price for his complicity in the Gaian scheme for world supremacy.

"Zakharov had engaged in acts of interfactional terror, acts that put him outside the company of civilized men. For many mission years he suffered no economic, political or military sanction; and the atrocities mounted in number. When our citizens are abused we will respond so long as I'm in office. Self-defense is not only our right, it is our duty. It is the purpose behind the mission undertaken, a mission fully consistent with Article 51 of the enhanced edition of the soon to be re-implemented United Nations Charter."

 

[Hellraiser]

Absinthe resend TURN

 

[Kalin]

Most Prestigious Theme

U.N. Concordia unveils brand new Mobile Infantry!

4 Dec M.Y. 2169 - While our Spartan allies have inflicted staggering losses upon the deranged church of Gaia our own Peacekeeping effort has been muted since our initial success. As naval battles on the high seas rage on with more or less equal losses on both sides, Peacekeeping Command now reveals the key to end this war to end all wars: the Cybernetic Yachtmen Bionically Enhanced Rapid-response Neurally Engineered Guerilla Ranger Operative, or C.Y.B.E.R.N.E.G.R.O. for short.

Equipped with twin impact launchers, experimental jet-packs and supremely resilient PSI-amplified multi-sense plasma steel power armour, these neural-linked man/machine patriotic freedom warriors, all whom naturally volunteered for the program out of their own free will, are the first of many to march out of U.N. Concordia's Bio-Enhancement Center, constructed with Morganic technology purchased at no small cost (but no cost is too great when freedom is at stake!).

Addressing the public, Commissioner Lal reminded the other factions in possession of this new powerful technology to kindly refrain from using Neural Grafting for totalitarian excesses. "Please remember to always respect the rights of the individual", Lal implored most empathically - guided in no small part by the new psionic Empath Guild. Remember - Brother Lal is watching out for you.

Meanwhile, Friends of freedom rejoice as our dedicated Peacekeepers have neutralized yet another University stronghold. Regrettably, most wanted criminal and certified mad-dog Zakharov shows no signs of surrendering, having instead employed forcible nerve-stapling to violate the sanctity of unwilling human minds and bodies in his beleaguered headquarters University Base. Rest assured: his desperate efforts, as well as his suspected frantic escape in a sea colony pod launched from Baikonur, shall not succeed. Terrorist rebels - your game is through!

 

[Hellraiser]

Burn down history, the New Man shall grow out of the ashes.

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 97 days in the 74th year of the Spartan Era, the home of truth and wisdom. Only traitors embrace ignorance and the occult!

Spartans continue to punish the Chief Whore of Conluvia, Deidre Skye. *spitting sound*

With every year the power of discipline, skill and spartan way inflicts massive casualties on the Gaian Pornocracy, as vile nests of occultism are burned down in flames of victory.

Even the disgusting link between the filth-monger Gaians and Planet's psionic pests is not slowing down our mighty march towards Gaia’s Moral Descent. Attacks by so called isles of the deep or the recently discovered hideous locusts fail as mere cadets repel them, proving that the path to creating the New Man bring strength unimaginable to those who reject the Way revealed to us by the great Colonel Santiago.

Our invincible fleet has sunk 2 enemy warships and 3 isles of the deep with no losses. While the isles bore no signs of allegiance to the Gaians, it is without a doubt that these supposedly wild creatures are conspiring against us together with the witches of Conluvia.

Our invincible army has murdered countless enemy combatants, torched 4 enemy outposts, destroyed a convoy out to settle a new vile coven and utterly crushed boils of disgusting mind worms beneath their black boots.

Education in the creches of Laconia is providing young Spartans and young helots with promising bloodlines to learn of important things. Just recently the heroes of our Campaign of Liberty against the Gaian menace visited Ironholm's Creche. Men and women of great commitment to the Spartan Way such as Seargant Gunther Vogel known also as the Butcher of Bastard Hellspawn or Corporal Helena Hasapi known as the Pyremaker.

We have asked the children of Ironholm’s creche what they think of their meeting with such great Citizens and how it inspired them.

Suzy, Age 9: “I learned that you should bring a knife to a nuke fight and I will have the scars to prove it!”

Edwin, Age 11: “I learned the Gaians fornicate with aliens, it makes me want to puke!”

Maggie, Age 6: “I learned that genocide is fun and bring us closer to the emergence of the New Man!”

Hannibal, Age 12: “I learned that you need to use the Gaian witch's PMS against her!”

That’s right Children Creches around Laconia teach your children the vital knowledge to advance our society and species, not to mention crush our enemies. Knowledge passed on with programs such as the demolitions day, where children learn how to most effectively blow up critical objectives with minimal waste of explosives! Next there is the New 2 Napalm initiative, which teaches how napalm fire can be used to clear out bunkers, purge alien maggot fungal nests or grill delicious steak on the barbeque.

*cut to small girl eating steak*

Patty, Age 7: “Mmm, rare and juicy, just like daddy makes them!”

Finally for all the aspiring little Colonel Santiagos of Laconia there is Girls & Garrotte, a program that will make your daughter into an elite commando or stealthy assassin!

Is your bloodline weak in physical prowess but superior to most in the mental aspects? Have your children attend tailored talent courses such as the Engineering of Killing, Chemical Warfare 101, Elemental Eugenics or the Trinity Fission Workshop. Federation laboratories wait for a new generation of researchers to push our society forward along the Way, purifying us from the taint of Old Earth’s decrepit history and that of the Flawed Man of Days Past. The Spartan Era shall continue and thrive with both brains and brawn! Your child will help our proud faction reject the trappings of history, burn it to ash and build the future on top of its grave!

”Would you like to know more?”

SPARTA STRONG

The TURN is 74, a number of Gaian bases have improved the collective human genepool by being erased from it. Most recently the base known as Lesbians of the Closet, but also the mentioned Virgins Deflowered, Bastard Hellspawn and Chiron Regression were destroyed. Plus one colony pod caught with its witch skirt down, so over fifty thousand witch whores stomped under the jackboot so far.

Worms have been slaughtered, ships have been sunk, colony pods blown up, but the Pornocracy of the Gaians remains...

...remains strong even so far, at over 76 population and lots of land and hilariously named bases (Gaia's Landing is called Gaia's Moral Descent just FYI). Despite the losses the Gaians lead by TROYTRON overtook the Peacekeepers as most populous faction this turn. They also overtook me in military, but probably due to having more bases and more garbage scouts. So obviously ITZ not yet over.

 

[Kalin]

NEWSFLASH! - NEWSFLASH! - NEWSFLASH!

The Office of the High Commissioner for Alpha Centauri is pleased to announce the completion of the Path to Perpetual Peace! Necessitated by strategic demands and public outrage due to extreme losses in fierce naval engagements for the past twenty-two years, the revolutionary terraforming mega-project, utilizing a range of techniques such as classic reef dredging, borehole-induced earthquakes and bold volcanic manipulation, has effectively given our forces a direct means to march across the parted sea to the Gaia-infested continent.

"It just works! It actually works perfectly", Brother Lal exclaimed before the United Ecclesia, stating that the new land bridge constituted "a great vibro-blade thrust at the very heart of Deirdre's criminal enterprise!" Praising the obviously Higher Power at work, Lal continued his empathically boosted address: "Already our dedicated freedom fighters are poised to strike from our frontier stronghold Mount Meru and rain judgement upon the enemy. Let us all thank the Martyrs of the Mission as we join in prayer for victory -- and eternal peace!"

Meanwhile, some much delayed stats. War drags on. Massive power spikes on the graph coincide with population booming.

Morgan Industries and the Human Hive have both secured the morale-boosting projects. Believers are working on the Control Center and are to date the sole faction to possess the required technology. Yours truly has managed to secure four projects and is pursuing the one denied to Gaia (free perimeters, assuming I can build it). The Translator is useless to me now but it yielded two technologies upon completion which allowed me to race ahead to the Empath Guild - very nice. Also here's another Cyber Judas data dump because why not:

 

[Kalin]

PEACEKEEPING FORCES THEME

Phase 1 - M.Y. 2182

Land bridge completed. Peacekeeping intervention forces dispatched to neutralize Blackened Hearts.

Just before cleansing vital tree farming data is liberated. Original plan was to subvert the base prior to burning it. Cost too much.

A shame because several units were hidden in adjacent fungus, had to purge them.


Phase 2 - M.Y. 2183

University escape pod deployed in the inlet - was left undefended (rushed defenders) and Peacekeeping foils arrived just in time.

Conquered the base and destroyed the patrolling ships in a long-range artillery duel.

Cybernetic Freedom Fighters transported by APCs cut through Gaian fodder stacks and inflicted considerable damage.

M.Y. 2184

Got counter-attacked but not as hard as I expected. Lost an APC and elite pest control rovers to enemy probes.

Nevertheless, the push continued. Enemy naval base and factional headquarters captured and burnt to the ground.

M.Y. 2185

War rages on. Clever blocking with formers but artillery bombardment easily took care of the stacks.

Reinforcements chain-transported by APCs helped secure additional victories.

Current Gaian positions post-intervention:

Spoiler

Gotta hand it to TROYTRON, he beat me on the seas (even using a trick I was unaware of - probe teams on transports can subvert adjacent foils!) - he's also played a superb builder game. Thanks to the governorship I found out he was pulling a super greedy build and reached out to Hellraiser to take him down. Paid greatly for snazzy tech from Grimgravy to get elites. All worth it. Twenty years later it would've been too late to act.

Also, if I'd gone at it alone I doubt it would've gone well, I've had great success since TROYTRON is fighting a two-front war and Absinthe is too weak to help him except with the off tech transfer. Real killer here is infiltration, I'm pretty sure I haven't been infiltrated as of yet whereas I've had complete intelligence reports on all factions for decades now. Lal's extra votes sure come in handy, very overlooked bonus.

Of course it ain't over yet, but so far I'm feeling pretty good indeed.

Much as I hate Christmas, these days have yielded excellent turns.

(and yeh too drunk to write proper larp stuff)

 

[Hellraiser]

SPARTA STRONG AND VIRILE!

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 209 days in the 85th year of the Spartan Era, heralding the coming of the New Man. Keep our bloodlines free of weakness!

Our offensive pushes forward into the heart of pagan darkness. In this third year of the latest Conluvia offensive Federation forces have inflicted yet another bloody and disastrous defeat upon the Occultocracy of the Gaian Coven.

The vulgar fortress of lust known as the Declines has been reduced to rubble after a forceful assault by multiple elite Spartan forces. Thanks to the bloodline augmentation program and improved training regime, the warriors of Laconia can without the doubt be called the strongest humans to have ever lived. Even the CYBERNEGRO forces of the Peacekeepers or the mass produced cyborgs of Morgan Industries cannot match our perfection of nature achieved via industrial eugenics and harsh combat drills.

According to the leading eugenicist of the Federation, Major Dr. Richard "Grey" Moreau, a naked Spartan now has the strength and physical prowess equal to that of 10 average Gaian witches or 5 untrained Spartan children.

This victory was also possible thanks to the sacrifices and discipline of the expeditionary helot crews tasked with building critical infrastructure in enemy territory, allowing Laconia’s finest to utilize superhuman tactical mobility.

In domestic news the Mandatory Eugenic Breeding program might have come to an end, but the Phoenix Initiative continues. In the words of Colonel Santiago, re-elected last year as Federation President with 97% of the votes in her favor...

*transition to footage of Santiago speaking*

...while the sword is a symbol that was with us since the dawn of the Spartan Era, the Laconian Phoenix is a powerful new symbol that should be enshrined in our hearts and minds. It symbolizes mankind, reborn outside of Earth as the homeworld died along with History. It symbolizes a cycle where the old continuously must make way for the birth of the new. We cannot stop this cycle, for stopping it means embracing extinction. We must embrace it, becoming stronger as a species with each iteration of the eternal cycle! That is the true meaning of the Spartan Way. The New Man cannot be born if at some point we say “this is good enough, we are strong enough”. No, that is foolishness! That is how empires became decrepit, decadent, corrupt and weak leading to their fall! The continuous betterment of our bloodlines, our bodies, our minds and our skills is not a mere philosophy or way of life. It is a necessity if we are to remain strong.

Sparta strong!

*the crowd begins to shout*

SPARTA STRONG! SPARTA STRONG! SPARTA STRONG!

*transition back to studio*

The Phoenix Initiative of course gave birth to many new citizens and helots alike, thus breeding a new generation that boldly propelled us into the position of Chiron’s most populous faction. But this is not the end, the Phoenix of Laconia never stops its cycle. Together we tear down and rebuild, taller, wider, sturdier and stronger. Whether it is a new Borehole where there one was a farm, whether a new crater field where there once was a den of vile occult forces, or a new bloodline to make the old extinct, we must continue to build on top of the ashes of the old!

”Would you like to know more?”

SPARTA STRONG

The TURN is 86, I just wrote the update after 85. My latest offensive begun 3 TURNS earlier.

TROYTRON tried to establish a coastal base in the same spot south-east of the Crater once again. This time he decided to block surrounding coastal tiles to prevent a landing, which I discovered as soon as my ship scouted ahead before the latest landing. I expected I might find a sentry or two around, but this was a bit more.

Found a colony pod, two formers building a road a bit further away and various rovers or other units around (some not showing up in the south fungus). I promptly wiped out or bribed all forces and prepared to execute my actual plan. I was hoping to use the element of surprise, but then again I was using the same spot again so it was unlikely a surprise would be possible.

On the other hand I guess it might have turned out easier despite losing the ninja factor, since those units on the coast made themselves easier to kill than if they were trolling somewhere around the base as defenders or ambush/counter-attack forces. Which resulted anyway in what I planned, which was...

...ITZING a nice big high mineral production base along with everything inside, after first building a road with elite formers to allow my elite troopers to attack the base from beyond the enemy vision. Had to go POWER and take the -2 industry hit to do this, but I figure that was overall cheaper and definitely faster than going for bio-enhancement centers or other alternatives of obtaining elite missile infantry.

On TURN 86 I killed another one and another bunch of units.

In ratings I think I am second overall in score, but first in population due to recently ending a pop boom. Gaians are now in fifth as they took a major hit from Kalin’s Peacekeepers recently plus 12 pop lost from my attacks. Gaia’s Moral Descent was already razed as was a bunch of other bases too close to the U.N. landbridge for their own good, as Kalin noted in his update.

I have to agree with Kalin’s conclusion that if we started the war later, IMO even just 5 TURNS later, it might have been a very hard fight if not unwinnable.

Unlike for Kalin my naval engagements against the Gaians were almost flawless, losing just two ships so far, only one of which was a fuckup (the other was “deliberate”). Obviously I have the advantage of fighting on just one front, definitely did not utilize it fully previously. This was visible on the ground where I did some fairly costly and greedy attacks that cost me a few impact rovers, but I viewed the risk acceptable in light of the expected payoff. Besides that I did kill a bunch of bases and colony pods overall so I treat it as a net win even before this latest offensive tipped the scale significantly in my favor (although of course Kalin did most of the work west).

 

[TROYTRON]

GAIA'S MORAL DESCENT REACHES TERMINAL POINT

Sodom, Gomorrah, fire and brimstone! It is the end of days for Gaia, and everything is completely fine. As Lascivious Lal’s zealous fundamentalists and Sultry Santiago’s popamole cover-shooters sully themselves by rolling in the muck with the rest of us, our very own faction-wide secret project has continued to proceed apace. No need have we for such petty material trinkets as the Command Nexus, the Cyborg Factory, the Citizen's Defense Force, or the Maritime Control Centre. Even the psionic potential promised by the Empath Guild is but a mere trifle compared to that already possessed by our own witches. Rather, for the past thirty lifecycles our faction’s energies have focused entirely on something far further beneath us: to breaking open the very gates of Hell itself!

An impossible task, some might have said: the words of rationalist naysayers! For ever since the very beginnings of Gaia’s Moral Descent on Planet all those lifecycles ago, the way downward was made clear by our discovery of Hell’s Gate in the midst of a fungal-overgrown landmass. Empathic remnants left behind by Those Who Came Before only confirmed our suspicion: the past existence of an alien race whose moral decline was so precipitous that even today its scars continue to mar Planet’s crust. But while they might have shown us the way, our earthbenders have ploughed deeper and harder than any of these primordial occultists could have envisioned in all their most frenzied drug-induced hallucinations, cursing us with a dozen entrances into the underworld compared to their mere three – a true testament to Gaia’s superior psionic affinity!

Make no mistake; the hour of our reckoning will soon be upon us. And when it comes, we will be assured of being able to face down to it with pride. For as every Gaian witch knows: there is always lower to sink!

Spoiler

Yeah, it’s basically GG for me at this point. I can’t compete with that number of Elites coming at me from both sides, and nobody is coming to bail me out unlike the Gaians in the second vanilla game on this site. I wonder why, was it something I said?

I’m too lazy to commit suicide though, so Kalin and Hellraiser will have to spend another turn or so rooting me out like the weed I am.

It seems to be the fate of Gaians in these games to either be raped, or be the ones doing the raping. In this case, the decline started a month ago in the early 2150s, when I found out that Kalin was nearby on Cuck Island and had secured the Governorship, yet I failed to take adequate precautions to prepare for his inevitable invasion. That general lack of preparation continued to dog me all game, as I would play in the now whilst neglecting to plan for the future. Unfortunately, in SMAC you tend to discover these things mainly when they lead to your downfall seemingly out of nowhere. In my case I spent too much time building up my economy and not my military, and ended up paying the predictable price.

This was actually the first time I’ve ever played Gaians. They certainly have some nice bonuses for the early game, and I definitely made good use of them, but those penalties to MORALE and POLICE really hurt later on. The bonus to PLANET doesn’t actually help all that much when your enemies have instant Elites outfitted with all the anti-psi gear and are running Green themselves.

Honestly, I think I just needed to be a lot more aggressive. There was a brief window in the 60s to 70s where I had naval superiority and could potentially have exploited it. The problem was that Kalin would always see it coming due to infiltration, and I had no way around that. Should’ve tried anyway, if I’d managed to pillage him enough it might’ve been enough to delay ITZ until I could finally get Ultraconductor, which I really wanted for my borehole spamming strategy, but ended up being repeatedly cockblocked by the tech selection formula. Naturally, Kalin inflicted the ultimate insult on me by being the one to get it first.

Well, there it is. I hope everyone enjoyed my getting gangbanged. Shame I didn’t get to make better use of this LARP concept, it was original and I had a lot of images saved up for propaganda use. Some real cuties too. Oh well, maybe another time.

I sure wonder how everyone else plans to prevent the Sparta-Peacekeeper alliance from rampaging across the rest of Planet…

Calling dibs on Morgan next game.

 

[Hellraiser]

THE STRONG REIGN SUPREME

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 28 days in the 95th year of the Spartan Era, celebrating supremacy over the occult menace!

The first anniversary of the Great Victory in Conluvia brought Spartan and Helot families alike together, to witness the glorious victory parade. It has been a year since the Whore of Conluvia engaged in a perverted blood sacrifice hoping to unleash powerful magicks upon the Spartan-Peacekeeping Coalition for Peace, in a last ditch attempt to obliterate our forces or ascent to some hellish metaphysical plane of existence.

Naturally those on the Spartan Way and their allies knew such a thing was pure nonsence, and the sacrifice of thousands of Gaian hiding in the last three Gaian outposts by Deidre did not unleash any kind of supernatural or psionic forces. Instead it brought an end to the cancer known as the Gaian Coven, saving brave Spartans the trouble of killing the remaining witches themselves and our forces could begin to go back home, leaving behind the now empty tainted disgusting land.

Following year of coastal raids and exerting domination on the seas, the deathblows were delivered across a 9 year period out of the 11 year campaign designed to push into and kill the Coven of Conluvia. In the final years Spartans met up with friendly coalition forces of our Peacekeeper cybernetic allies, and begun a push towards the Gaian rat nest known as the Field of Knives.

The attack on the Field of Knives was expected to last 3 years, with multiple impact and rocket artillery barrages turning the base into a rubble pile, followed by a brutal all out assault that killed all armored defenders in the base, but not the last two missile units. This allowed the base to survive until the 95th year of the Spartan Era, when those enemy missile troops performed a counteroffensive that was utterly crushed by the Class 4 Armor Elite Hoplite II Charlie unit, entrenched in difficult rocky terrain. The brave hoplites took the attack of both missile units head on with minimal losses, killing all attackers an enemy hope with it. The finest example of Spartan martial strength if there ever was one.

Now for some news from the Laconian heartland...

...it is known from history that strength asserts dominance over weaker individuals, nations and beasts alike. The alien vermin of Planet is no exception. The pure alphaness of Spartan soldiers has enslaved multiple mind worm boils and isles of the deep. This brilliant feat of mental supremacy allows us to use the traitor beasts against their own inferior brothers and sisters, securing helpless Helots and Children alike from the feral pests. Whether this apparent domestication is an evolutionary consequence not unlike wolves submitting to the much superior and stronger Neanderthals in Earth’s distant past is not yet known, but experts assure us, the creatures fear us and therefore they will be obedient even if we send them against their own kin. And they have much to fear from those that embarked on the Way and seek to give birth to the New Man in the glorious Spartan Era.

The Darwinian Expansion Initiative announced by Federation President Corazon Santiago, Colonel of the Federation Army, Burner of Witches and Slayer of Aliens is set to tame the wild north. Several advancements in fields such fungicidal acid and helot hazmat suits, hoverbike engineering and ESP-amplification have made it possible to tame the vast swathes of vile xenofungus present in northern Laconia. Soon great new cities will rise in the north and with them we shall advance forward along the Spartan Way.

Lastly discipline is enforced across Laconia as weakness and incompetence are rooted out with a campaign of public whippings. Some may not survive the punishment, but the strong shall be reborn through the pain into model Helots and Spartans alike. Decadence and sloppiness breed extinction! Just recently most of the “global warming” doomsayers, warning of patently false claims of ecological damage supposedly caused by new boreholes, were subject to punishment with dozens of inkvine lashes. A minority of them were also found to have ties to the former Gaian Coven, and these seditious elements were afterwards executed similar to most captured witches, by being thrown into the nearest Federation borehole with cheering Helots and Citizens alike gathering to witness justice.

”Would you like to know more?”

The TURN was 95, TROYTRON did one last final attack and decided to suicide his remaining 3 bases, as he was fully spent after sending most of his remaining forces to the Field of Knives, where I killed all but two missile infantry that died on his turn trying to kill my elite 4 defence defender in rocks.

GG TROYTRON, you fought fiercely and punished my forces whenever I did something stupid (such as moving those ships in sensor range). Also shame I felt compelled to collude to kill your faction, because the Gaian Witches was a very fresh take on the faction.

Anyway that was a while ago but I guess everyone was busy with holidays or with returning to work after holidays so the update is a bit late.

Currently some are already on TURN 100, and as of TURN 99 which was my most recent one, the situation on Chiron was shaping as follows.

Kalin has overtaken me in population a while now, not surprising since he has all those free talents and Lal’s famous +2 pop limit bonus allowing him to grow taller. I started a second pop boom to catch up on the lost building time from the warring, currently 3 turns into the boom which you can see on the graph. I have 112 or 118 population (not sure) currently, Kalin has at least 20 more I think.

Hard to say because I am not sure if I am converting votes to population right for him (and I forgot to screenshot his total votes) and I don’t want to count actual pop for each base (faster to just look at votes in the diplomatic info window). He has Lal’s double votes plus 50% more from the guild, so I guess the number of votes is triple his pop (2*1,5) since almost all bonuses in SMAC stack multiplicatively. Otherwise he has far more, but looking at the power graph I think my math is ok otherwise the gap would be way bigger.

Everybody else’s population is in the late double-digits except for Absinthe’s University, which is in the process of getting ITZed by the UN. I infiltrated Absinthe in case I would need to help the UN with the ITZ, but it seems Kalin has this covered, especially now with Planet being Witch-free for 5 turns.

Grimgravy has cornered R&D and keeps staying there for a while now. Most clay is on oldbonebrown’s side as the Believers, since they have a whole continent to themselves.

 

[Kalin]

NEWSFLASH: CHIRON CELEBRATES UNITED VICTORY!

The grand centennial celebration and most joyous conclusion of the war to end all wars was inaugurated in the Concordia today as rows of returning veterans marched through the stunning megalopolis in perfect unison. Encouraged by the display hundreds of thousands of loyalists spontaneously took to the streets, offered prayers to the Almighty and cheered the onset of our new glorious era of perpetual planetary peace. Coinciding with sweeping reforms including the near-unanimously supported decision to abolish the abbreviation "U.N." as ancient concepts of nationality no longer play any discernible role in our evolution, the great reset in inter-factional relations made possible by the complete extermination of Gaia's Coven was lauded by Brother Lal as a new symbolic beginning for mankind and the long-anticipated return to normalcy.

Lal saluted the skill and professionalism of the men and women of our armed forces as well as the spectacular effort of our dear allies, expressing his utmost appreciation for the miracle of friendship cemented as Peacekeeping and Spartan forces met and shook hands over the smoldering cultist corpses and when Morgan's corporate security intervened to take custody of Zakharov's brutally oppressed people in Budushii Dvor. Upon recommendation of Colonel Santiago, the beloved brother also argued for the imminent destruction of the vile xenoarchaeological borehole cluster styled Hell's Gate which may have contributed to Gaia's corruption. In addition, Lal promised swift re-implementation of fully democratic government through the power of the ecclesia, as well as a responsible, sustainable and properly planned economy to facilitate a new golden age of population booming under the firm but loving supervision of the newly established Harmonium Guard, ensuring prosperity for all in the new framework of global Pax Humana!

Commonly recognized as the crowning culmination and centerpiece of the festivities, the interrogation and execution of madman Zakharov for his blatant criminal collusion with Deirdre's satanic coven was broadcast live across Chiron on prime Morgan-Net channels. The righteous sentence which was passed down effectively constituted the removal of the last remaining irritant and nefariously nagging impediment to true lasting concord.




Finally, as the era of war has forever been ended, our good brother saw fit to bring before the Security Council his enhanced edition of the Alpha Centauri Colony Mission Charter, proposing to outlaw all manner of vile atrocities waged upon the innocent citizens of Chiron such as genocidal base cleansing, nerve-stapling, chemical warfare and the application of genetically tailored viruses promising a true triumph for human rights, security and dignity!

 

[Hellraiser]

THE PHOENIX OF LACONIA SOARS EVER HIGHER WITH EACH CYCLE OF REBIRTH!

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 273 days in the 105th year of the Spartan Era, where weakness dies the strong shall thrive.

At the heart of Laconia lies the greatest achievement of Sparta, the newly constructed central resonance spire. It and various other spires across Laconia use the phenomena of Mechanical Resonance, which has been primitively utilized by the extinct aliens that littered the planet with their failed civilization's remains. Their artifacts based on this technology, such as the Monoliths of the Necropolis of the Failed Ones, became tombstones of those who were too weak.

The Central Resonance Spire of Sparta connects with others across the federation forming what could be called a Planetary Energy Grid, utilizing the resonance fields to harvest a bounty of energy out of seemingly nothing and transmit it where needed without any losses regardless of the distance involved.

It is a vision once described by the great visionary Nikola Tesla, who dreamed of resonance transmitting energy across vast differences, of free energy from the cosmos and of aliens utilizing resonance to communicate. He was a man of vision coming from a desirable bloodline no doubt augmented by neanderthal heritage and ancient genetic wisdom.

He dreamed of things we now know to be true, yet his contemporaries, aided by the weakness enablers of his age, the people that begun Earth’s descent into the abyss of apocalypse, mocked him, shunned him and made him an outcast. Yes, he did lack the strength to reign supreme against the builders of downfall and promoters of weak blood. But even the neanderthals failed when faced with superior numbers of inferior beings. Nevertheless this tragic story of Tesla and of the Failed Ones is an important lesson for our civilization and species, as we move forward towards creating the Final Bloodline which will give birth to the New Man.

Weakness is not meant to be ignored, it is a phenomena, it is a mistake of nature. One must study weakness, learn why it exists. And one should also remember, strength is not infallibility, only the New Man can be infallible due to his perfection, but he will be so because he realizes not to underestimate those objectively weaker than him. The Failed Ones are no more, yet they knew things we have barely begun to understand and perished despite this greater understanding. Tesla died impoverished and humiliated, yet he dreamed of things far beyond his era’s ability to grasp, which the strong now were able to build and wield.

The Resonance Spire rises proud, just like the Phoenix after its latest rebirth, having let the weak parts die so that it could be reborn stronger.

OTHER NEWS STORIES ABOUT SPARTA AND CHIRON

>>EVOLUTIONARY DIETARY PRESSURE IN SANTIAGO CITADEL YIELDS STRENGTH

RECORD NUMBER OF MAGGOTS HUNTED DOWN

MOUNT DUARTE ECHELON MIRROR CONSTRUCTION UNDER WAY

RUMORMONGERS PUNISHED FOR FAKENEWS CLAIMS OF FOREIGN SUBMARINE ENTERING FEDERATION WATERS

THERAPEUTIC EUGENIC GAS RESEARCH CLOSE TO COMPLETION

MORGAN INDUSTRIES PROMISES UNPARALLELED IMMERSION IN NEW “VIRTUAL WORLD”

PEACEKEEPERS EMBRACE SPARTAN IDEALS WITH “ASCETIC VIRTUES”

INDUSTRIAL IMPORTS FROM THE HUMAN HIVE NOT HAMPERED BY SUNSPOT DISRUPTIONS

In Santiago Citadel and other new northern cities helots and citizens alike undergo a glorious process with the goal of forcing new better bloodlines to emerge. By rapidly cutting off the supply of fungal-based nutrients, the local population is expected to overcome food shortages via evolutionary means. The strong will use their freedom to deal with this scarcity, be it by rationing, technology or a new physical regime. Those not strong enough will not pass through the filter of the evolutionary pressure introduced by this new scarcity of nutrients. A clear victory all around for the federation as we continue our journey along the Spartan Way! Sparta strong!

”Would you like to know more?”

The TURN is 105, SPARTA STRONG in building as I finished my first project, rushing it in one TURN with a pile of cash (partially deadworm funded) and by disbanding some surplus units left after the war (not much use for impact artillery rovers when elite missile artillery infantry is cheaper). I also did retool from a half-built tree farm, so it was not fully built from 0 production.

Yes indeed this is yet another deja vu this game. Not just me and AO are on the same continent as last game when I was Lal, landing in the same spots (well roughly in his case and without janior between us), I also got the same secret project as my first project. The Planetary Energy grid is a very good builder project, made even better by my free market economy, since it multiplies the energy income giving instant benefits, while also scaling with both tall and wide growth. I have about 20 bases currently, energy banks in all of them would cost 160 rows of minerals, plus 20 energy per turn maintenance, one per base. The project was 30 rows of minerals and has no maintenance, so best deal indeed.

Just FYI this game I asked that SPARTA gets changed to the same morale as in vanilla but with a new bonus, police immunity. I proposed this last game as a SPARTA buff (also Spartan pacifist drones are retarded for story reasons), gravy preferred morale-related bonazses so he got (or kept) those.

This gives SPARTA the ability to not have pacifist drones at all when running market, bah, since my police cannot drop below zero (that’s how immunity or rather impunity works), I can staple and have -1 drone from a police unit in each base while running free market. Decent PBEM builder bonus, although free market is not as easy to tech to in our PBEM mod (it comes later). Might end up being OP, but if we figure that is the case I would just propose gib another +1 police to Sparta, for a total of +2 next game. Which would also be a good builder bonus, but not as great as no pacifist drones . Anyway I think this is way less broken than the various morale bonuses the Spartans had in past games which made it too easy to get elite units, not to mention made them really too heavily reliant on conquest to grow (which is hard in PBEM).

Right, so about projects since I don’t think anyone posted those, here’s who has or is building those:

Yeah, I was the last guy to get a secret project this game out of those still left.

oldbonebrown lost his shot at a third project as he was also building the PEG, but he has the snazzy maritime control center and longetivity vaccine. The vaccine remained unbuilt for a long time and if I wanted to I guess I could have also tried to build it back in the day. I had mixed feelings about it, since I knew I would mostly go market not benefiting much from the much better drone removal. +100% energy is I guess situational, one needs to have a ridiculous energy producing base to benefit from the doubled econ.

Kalin snatched most projects, the combo of ascetic virtues and human genome project giving him some very good growing bonuses (and size 18 bases with hab complex, 4 more than everybody else). Paradigm is another good builder project obviously and he has beaten TROYTRON’s now extinct Gaians to it IIRC (they were also researching the tech I think, but were too slow). He’s now building the supercollider which was also kind of ignored by everyone for TURNS despite multiple people having the tech. Doubled research at a base is nice, and I was strongly contemplating getting that to boost my research. But it was either it or the PEG (and earlier either it or pop booming) and the PEG is way better.

Grimgravy got a not so morganic project (although TBH I did build it once as Morgan myself after all) and is now getting a more obvious morganic choice in the form of the Virtual World, to which he teched himself to secure it obviously. I wish I could have built that project. It’s on my “must have” secret project list although as Sparta I do have a better drone situation than everybody apart from Lal and Yang.

Agent Orange has gotten the Command Nexus and Merchant Exchange. The latter was siting unclaimed by anyone for I think 70 or 80 turns.

As for the ranking, well...

...I think Kalin increased his advantage despite my pop booming with his own booming (with hab complexes and some new bases I think). He has now over 200 pop I think, since I think I saw 600-ish votes. I’m at 150 pop and everybody else has less IIRC. I think everybody will be playing catch up for a while. Also dropped to third place (starvation caused it no doubt) and out of the top military spot.

Oh and yeah, we have sunspots for 3 turns now I think, so no tech trading in the near future unfortunately, just as my labs stopped sucking again. And of course it means we can commit atrocities with no sanctions for a brief period, contrary to the intention of the recently reinstated charter

Also I forgot to ensure I have enough food to feed my new bases before I switch to free market and can't make helot eats fungus now, so some of bases underwent starvation and minor depopulation causing the mentioned population and score drop. The STRONG survived.

 

[Rassy]

Hi. I'm not really much of a gamer, but I recently read the Alpha Centauri books and it fired me up to go look for fanfic. Didn't find much, but got these playalongs instead,which are much better, and madly enchanting. The propoganda pieces are unreal! Thanks to you all for hours of entertainment.

But may Kalin and Hellraiser suffer a curse of their blood turning to salt for ending the fabulous Gaian witches before they could really get bubbling.

 

[Hellraiser]

Regarding a curse coming back to bite us in the ass with karmic force, we are having shoutbox discussions about random events ruining TURN in the most awful ways recently. Started with discussing global warming raising sea levels which might hit or might not hit. I think both me and Kalin got pollution under control already considering all the tree farms we were building, so depends on the remaining 3 players if they are polluting much or not. Will get worse again when people get genejack factories.

Kalin currently fears he gets the rare volcano eruption event that kills base pop since he started next to one (never saw this event in PBEM games, new volcanos spawning though did happen twice). There's also the classical subject of PBEM paranoia that is the asteroid impact event that we never saw in PBEM (I saw once or twice in singleplayer though) that nukes a base, just imaging it hitting a project base with something great like the PEG, Cyborg Factory, Virtual World or Weather Paradigm makes one shiver in terror.

Mostly we just got hit with fungal pops and random shortage events so far. I had one base with hazy clouds (and it was a good energy income base at that) and one depopulated due to the food shortage event (it's getting better though). I didn't get prometheus virus yet (would suck, I have few research hospitals), Kalin did but his project negates it.

Also I got hit this TURN with planet blight which destroyed all forests and farms near one not so crucial base. Luckily it was not a huge deal since a condenser was feeding that base, sucks about forests since it impacted my industry/economy at that base.

 

[oldbonebrown]

Good News Network
Reports from God's country in the new world - M.Y. 2211

A world made safe for Peace and Love
To those who lost friends and family in the destruction of He Walked on Water and St. Peter's Venture a dark shadow has been cast over the world. The wicked witch struck the believers with all the venom of a dying snake lashing out.
After decades of peace and prosperity the seas turned red with the blood of the innocent, paradise lost.
Great is our debt to Commissioner Pravin Lal, who in this moment stepped in and stopped the venom from spreading further. His insistence that no believer blood need be spilled on foreign shores is the reason that many of our sisters and brothers are still here with us today.
His momentous peacekeeping initiative is indeed the greatest glory served unto the Lord that Chiron has seen thus far.
Every Child of God should keep all the heroes of the Peacekeepers and of Sparta in their hearts as they pray. All the heroes, who fought to put an end to the Gaian reign of terror. All the heroes, who put their lives on the line for the dream of a future where peace might blossom.

The dark clouds on the horizon have now dissipated, and the witch is burning in the pit with her master.
All of New Zion is looking forward to another chance to live happily in God's golden light.
Everywhere new cities are being built, forests taking root and scientific discoveries blessing life with wonders never before seen.
Those whose hearts and minds were darkened by Deirdre's terrorist attacks can relax knowing that powerful submarines are protecting the border.
Step by step, paradise will be reclaimed and built, here on Chiron.
The Children of God once again daring to believe that love between brother and sister might find a way.

Chancellor Miriam's speech at the founding of University Base
The beloved "Mother" of the Children of God addressed the crowds of settlers outside New Zion's latest settlement
Today I have gathered you all to commemorate an old friend of mine who was led astray by the forces evil, but whose true spirit shall never be forgotten.
We have built this city in honour of Prokhor Zakharov and all that he did for New Zion - and all that could have been had circumstances been different.
It will stand as a reminder to all the faithful to be ever vigilant in the fight between good and evil that rages in all hearts.
Zakharov in his blind pursuit of profane knowledge failed to see the evil that was growing right before him. All too ready to bite the apple, he made bedfellows with a snake.
Yet his ideals where bigger than his all too human faults, for in his spirit of openness his door was open to all alike, and in his dealings with the faithful he won favour in Heaven.
Zakharov was perhaps the most tragic victim of the wicked witch. I believe that had planetfall not put him in the shadow of evil he would still be here with us today.
Brother, where are you now? I pray that your spirit is looking down us from Heaven on this day, that you will bless this institute of learning that the Children of God has built in memory of what you stood for.
May we meet again under better circumstances.

Other news from the land of the Lord:

*Borders reaffirmed! Friendship-envoy talks borders with the powerful Sparta Command - understanding reached.

*Fairness for all! New Zion says No to nerve stapling - disgruntled workers finds relief in the completion of the Longevity Vaccine project.

*New Zion goes green! By loving the land it loves us back - green economics ensures a sustainable future.

*Sun-spot sadness! Severed communications blocks news from friends and partners - thoughts and prayers sent out to brother Morgan, brother Lal, brother Yang and sister Santiago

Glory to God, hallelujah!

Spoiler

 

[oldbonebrown]

Good News Network
Archive edition, important historical moments from God's Country

M.Y. 2200
The UN Charter Reinstated
Chancellor Miriam, representing the Children of God, voted this year together with the rest of the global community to reinstate the UN Charter.
We mark one hundred years together on this planet with an important step towards a better Chiron for everyone.

With Satan defeated, all excuses for the use of such horrors as the absence of the charter permitted, went away.
All living things can rejoice knowing that the global community agrees with this fact.
Nerve stapling and ignoble ways of conducting war should be discouraged by all, for the good of all.
The undoing of the Gaian coven, and now a win for human rights. The good God is with us here on Planet.

 

[Captain Krunch]

I feel like I am in a time warp. Five posts up Hellraiser is in the 105th year (2205) while the immediately preceding two posts are first in year 2111 and then recessing even further to 2100.
Is this the same game?

 

[Hellraiser]

I feel like I am in a time warp. Five posts up Hellraiser is in the 105th year (2205) while the immediately preceding two posts are first in year 2111 and then recessing even further to 2100.
Is this the same game?

oldbonebrown forgot turn 0 is 2100 and not 2000. Just add 100 to his dates and it is going to be ok. His last post is an "archive" version as he indicated, so referencing the past.

Either that or it is some new fancy religious calendar, counting down to Christ's return using advanced biblemathics.

FYI TURN 115 just started.

 

[oldbonebrown]

Either that or it is some new fancy religious calendar, counting down to Christ's return using advanced biblemathics.

That is a very good suggestion, but for now I have edited it to 22XX

 

[Kalin]

NEWSFLASH - LOYALIST SCI-TEKS HARNESS THE POWER OF THE SUNS!

M.Y. 2215 - In a spectacular scientific breakthrough the brightest minds of our majestic megalopolis Atlantis - Cognitive Elite Headquarters of Mankind and new home of Commissioner Lal's administration - have dared to dream and push forward to regain mastery of the very technology that once brought us to Alpha Centauri. Security prototypes have all been upgraded to new enhanced reactor standards, fusion labs are under construction in key bases and mass-production of micro-fusion cells is scheduled to begin in the final quarter of this mission year. Fusion Power is no longer just the future -- Fusion Power is now!

In related news, the third and final stage of the Prosperous Population Proliferation Plan has been approved by a vast majority of the People's Ecclesia promising continued rapid expansion under the guiding light of the Ascetic Virtues of the Matured Mission Mandate. Grounded in the purest humanitarian ideals and the sacred principles that "Less is More" and "The Whole Transcends the Sum of its Parts", its recently inspired waves of fasting, frugality, shunning of consumerism and donating of excessive personal credits to charitable causes has precipitated truly unprecedented growth both in terms of souls and spirituality.

At long last, sustainable development is not merely a buzzword - it is being fully grasped and utilized with fervent reverence. Ecological damage has been all but negated and well over seventy per-cent of our population have switched to the new diet of kelp, plants and xeno-soy hybrids. In addition, popularly mandated Morality Bills, primarily rejections of narcotics, boosters, virtual reality, sub-par games and non-tasteful* pornography are sure to propel man towards ever greater pursuits. Only alcohol consumption remains a "private matter best dealt with on the personal level" after intervention from Commissioner Lal and a most rare use of his executive veto on the matter.

Enlightened by the tenets of New Asceticism our loyalist bases are thus not merely the largest but also the happiest and highest performing as per the annual talent index. The sole exception to the trend is Aid Station whose population continues to persist upon its enhanced path of Extreme Breatharianism. Although highly respectful of the rights and beliefs of its zealous adherents, Mission Command has been forced to note a total negative growth of roughly forty thousand and counting with no signs of receding.

Finally, the Citizen's Council for Checking Governmental Excesses has successfully re-launched their probe into the mysterious destruction of Monitoring Station where some 50,000 ex-accomplices of Zakharov were undergoing corrective therapy. Due to the global communications blackout caused by sunspots and raging locust swarms details remain sketchy as to what exactly transpired at the base, though critics have been quick to suggest a premeditated purge was authorized by Lal himself to speed up military evacuation.

"This might be right - but it probably isn't right" a spokesperson for the Harmonium Guard said, suggesting the base might just as well have fallen victim to the increased mind worm activity before adding that, in either case, although concerns were noted and very much appreciated, prompt vigilance ought really to be exercised in regards to the curiously near-complete absence of drone activity in several Spartan bases as well as Morgan's corporate empire.

 

[Hellraiser]

FROM LACONIA WE CAN REACH THE HEAVENS ONCE LOST

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK at 2000 hours, 63 days in the 117th year of the Spartan Era, reminding you to do your part in the third Mandatory Eugenic Breeding initiative before it ends, or face punishment! *sound of whip cracking*

Today we mark yet another key step along the Spartan Way. The Pulsar-1 vehicle christened "Triumph" launched from Chiron’s very first Aerospace Complex, reminding us of the return of mankind into the void under the wisdom of Laconia's engineers. As noted by Federation President Corazon Santiago, Colonel of the Federation Army, Conqueror of the Heavens, Burner of Witches and Slayer of Aliens in her speech made three weeks earlier, just after the first orbital launch from Planet's surface...

I have often been asked: if we have traveled between the stars why can we not launch the simplest of orbital probes? These fools fail to understand the difficulty of finding the appropriate materials on this Planet, of developing adequate power supplies, and creating the infrastructure necessary to support such an effort. In short, we have struggled under the limitations of a colonial society on a virgin planet. Until now.

Now the dark skies are no longer denied to us as the Pulsar’s Nuclear Salt Water rocket engines have shattered the shackles of gravity which imprisoned us on the surface of this Planet for over a century. For the third time in our history, after the first spaceflight achievements of the Soviet Union over two hundred years ago and that of the Neanderthals millennia before them, we can once again benefit from orbital spaceflight and satellites.

Our Magnetar orbital defense station will safeguard Laconia from above, its beacons will aid in navigation and communication, its scopes will aid in agriculture and terraforming and its Scorpion impact cannons and Culverin torpedoes will protect our orbital assets from ASAT weaponry, should such be ever deployed against our Federation. Sparta strong, in space!

The skies become more crowded with each year as more and more Valkyrie squadrons soar across them. The Valkyrie VTOL craft developed in Olympus Academy by Olympus Aviation is a design that allows mankind soar the heavens once more, ever since it's first flight last year. Multiple factions across Chiron were impressed by the reinvention of manned flying machines by Sparta, and have already licensed the Spartan VTOL technology adopting their own variations of the Olympus-built machine.

The research institute of Militia Station is working night and day iterating upon their Mechanical Resonance Confinement Fusion Reactor design. While Peacekeeping officials have started rolling out fusion reactors across their faction 3 years ago, the Federation is eager to implement its own revolutionary homegrown fusion reactor design, to boldly power our journey along the Spartan Way. The top federation nuclear engineers expect that a mature design ready for mass production in all shapes and sizes will become available within 2 years.

OTHER FEDERAL NETWORK TOPICS THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU:

HUMAN HIVE CONSTRUCTS MYSTERIOUS XENOEMPATHY DOME

HELOT DISCIPLINE ENFORCED THROUGH NEW DISCIPLINE OFFICERS

MORGANIC ADVANCES IN TRANSGENICS CREATE A LIVING REFINERY

>>THIRD MANDATORY EUGENIC BREEDING INITIATIVE TO END NEXT YEAR

BELIEVERS AND THE FEDERATION AGREE TO END TRADE RESTRICTIONS BOLSTERING TWO-WAY TRADE

PEACEKEEPING VESSELS ON PLANETARY PEACE TOUR VISIT FEDERATION PORTS

FUNGAL FUEL GENERATORS - THE TRUE SURVIVOR’S CHOICE FOR ITZ

The third Mandatory Eugenic Breeding initiative approaches its final phase and is set to end next year. The Federation’s population has managed to overtake the Peacekeeping population last year and once again became the most populous faction on planet, with a currently estimated population of 2 million 620 thousand Spartan Citizens and Helots, compared to approximately 2 million 540 thousand Peacekeeping Talents and Drones. The Peacekeeping population however is expected to rapidly grow, following Pravin Lal’s official announcement of an increase in child subsidies and other pro-family welfare handouts coinciding with new Peacekeping habitation complexes being built.

There are however those that sabotage our glorious mass breeding endeavor. These “volcels” refuse to breed with mates from their assigned breeding pool, instead claiming the state should provide them with so called “j-qties” for breeding rather than carefully selected females that would help strengthen their bloodlines and thus help their offspring bring us ever closer to the New Man. One group of such destructive individuals discovered in Commander’s Keep was led by Janusz Świniabojowa, who has been found guilty of Eugenic Sabotage and sentenced to 20 years of heavy labor in the fungal fields surrounding Centurion Cave and Maggot Lake, with no sniffing of cuties allowed as part of the punishment! Citizens and Helots alike need to remember, it is our duty to breed following the Federation Eugenic Strategy, so that future generations can give birth to the New Man once the Final Bloodline emerges.

”Would you like to know more?”

The TURN is 117, Sparta can into space! SPARTA STRONG!

As I developed air power I was in good position to launch the first satellite, since nobody else could build aerospace complexes. Some might have had some satellite tech already though, just no means to launch. Anyway I rushed a complex as soon as the tech finished and the satellite a turn later. It is kind of a vanity/prestige project for me not giving that much of an edge (if not losing money altogether), though it makes for good LARP. Rationally I should have rushed two research hospitals or something.

Since it is just an orbital defense pod I doubt rushing the complex and the satellite will pay for itself. To break even I would need about 400 energy (or two expensive facility rushes from pods), which in theory I could get from some unclaimed unity pods that the launch revealed along with the whole map. But knowing my luck I’ll find isles of the deep in rape-mode that will sink my ships making it a net loss

I also built the first helicopters and true air unit on Planet a TURN earlier. Kalin built a missile way earlier which counts as an air unit thus denying me the achievement according to the game, but according to Spartan classification that’s not a true air unit, since it can’t fly people who would live to tell the tale (or because you can't just slap any gun you want on it, that's probably a more spartan definition).

Although with fusion tech just 2 turns away they’ll probably end up being glorified crawlers and get scrapped soon at one of my low mineral high energy production bases to rush a fusion lab or something, since fusion copters will have 2 more range IIRC so better for patrol duty.

While I was rushing a mostly useless satellite and forcing volcels to breed, AO and Gravy got new secret projects.

Kalin meanwhile is busy pop booming again (just as I caught up, a sisyphean effort indeed) and is bound to overtake me in population again next turn or in two turns, since my boom ends next turn and he had a lot of size 11 bases (+2 max from Lal and +2 max from Ascetic Virtues) that can grow by up to 7 pop more during this boom with the new hab complexes.

The current population numbers are:

262 – Sparta

254 – Peacekeepers (or 255, dunno how the games rounds votes since 764 is not a multiple of 3, weird mathemajicks here, but in general the 3x multiplier from pop to votes for Kalin seems to be accurate)

164 – Morgan

129 - Believers

121 – Hive

The Gaians and University are dead obviously, somewhat improving TURN flow, just not enough for a daily double turn. Probably it doesn't help everybody takes an hour to autistically move terraformers around and decide on rushing production each time they play TURN.

At the moment there’s a huge gap in pop between me and Kalin compared to everybody else as you can see.

I managed to get the pop lead again which I will lose probably in 2 turns as mentioned, since my boom will end next turn with 270 pop total (most of my booming bases already reached the limit this turn). I kind of rushed the boom since I wanted to use the fact that sunspots allow me to administer liberal amounts of nerve stapling with no risk of sanctions, delaying the need for hologram theaters or other drone control. Still it is not so bad since only I think 6 bases didn’t benefit from it (actually some did a bit, those that starved after the last boom due to no fungal food and thus lost a bunch of population).

Here’s the TURN 117 ranking:

Gravy has the tech lead still and also military surprisingly, taking it from Kalin this turn I think.

I’m pacted with everybody at the moment as is Kalin, since Lal’s governoship brought us World Peace and other things considered most important by Miss World contest participants. Which means everybody is enjoying the Age of the Carebear and building. Wealth is misleading here as usual since it only shows cash not spent.

By pure energy gain actual economic strength goes Sparta>Morgan>Peacekeepers>Believers>Hive, with me making 100 more energy than Gravy's Morgan and 200 more than Kalin's Peacekeepers. Since everybody is pacted and it is no secret to all players how people are doing, I can say that’s 513 energy I make per turn, under gommunism out of all things due to pop booming. We’ll see how good it will be once the nerve stapling runs out in all my bases and I have to switch citizens to Empaths.

By tech rate I am also in the lead at the moment, with 729 lab points per turn. Here the distance between the top is not huge, Kalin gets 681 SCIENCE! per turn, Gravy 599. The others seem to have set the sliders to maximize money or are behind in science facilities and energy production, so not worth mentioning. This like energy gain can change quite quickly in the near future since people can shift more to econ or labs depending on what they need more.

 

[Demo.Graph]

Quality stuff, guys.
Can't wait for turbo dogpiling and an inevitable Hive victory.

 

[Grimgravy]

Morgan Industries celebrated the CEO's continued dedication to peaceful progress by returning to space with the twin launches of a defence satellite and an orbital energy platform. In an internal memo, Mr. Morgan praised the teams who made the dual launches possible, while decrying some foreign power's military buildup that made the defence satellite a necessity. Mr. Morgan went on to express his hope that those same foreign powers would beat their swords into plowshares, as it were, since Chiron is big enough for everyone, especially since we are fast approaching the time when we can once again travel between the stars.

 

[Hellraiser]

FROM THE DEPTHS OF HISTORY ONE CAN ONLY LEARN HOW TO FAIL

This is the FEDERAL NETWORK SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT SANTIAGO at 1100 hours, 23 days in the 126th year of the Spartan Era.

Citizens, Helots and friendly nations around Planet, we as a species stand now at the threshold of the future. A future we must look forward to with widely open arms and joy, as it is a future where freedom and sovereignty are not just empty promises, but indestructible and inalienable rights of all factions.

Yet in a corner of planet lies a threat to this very freedom of our factions. The so-called United Nations Peacekeepers seek to shackle us to the trappings of history, using the space elevator they are so hastily constructing as a boot with which they can impose the tyranny of history and thus of failure upon all human beings!

In their arrogant blindness they emulate the Old World that has failed, and seek means with which they can force us to accept their illegitimate and audacious claims to stewardship over mankind. No, we will not allow this chutzpah to continue! Not when their true face has been revealed with their pursuit of deploying troops anywhere on Chiron using the Space Elevator! Not when their vile empaths spy on our minds and when their “planetary governor” uses his planetary bureaucracy to rob our hard workers with fees and taxes, while simultaneously performing espionage in his faction’s favor. Not when they are building the means to crush any and all dissent on Planet. We Spartans reject this tyranny! We Spartans shall not allow the thought police of “Brother” Lal to threaten us from Chiron’s orbit with “peacekeeping” operations! The “UN” thought police reads our minds with their “Empath Guild” and now wants to drop from space to arrest those that dare to think differently! This cannot be allowed!

This despotic capability of both the Space Elevator and the Empath Guild must be destroyed, so that peace can prevail! We shall not rest until the “Peacekeeping” tools of oppression are dismantled and Planet’s people can enjoy freedom from the UN enslavement! We are not waging a war of conquest, but one seeking to preserve the human potential, while the “UN” inheritors of those that built Earth’s fall want to build us a false path leading only to weakness and extinction! This military campaign we have just begun is not an arrogant display of martial power; it is freedom’s ultimate struggle for survival on Chiron. We either swim as a free people or we sink as slaves.

Reject the UN! Burn down history! Kill the Empaths! Strike down the Space Elevator! Set mankind free from the forces of civilization's decline!

BURN DOWN HISTORY! BURN DOWN HISTORY! BURN DOWN HISTORY!

You may be interested in the following related FEDERAL NETWORK content:

Prosperism – a true neanderthal art movement.

>>Cadet Aeroclubs soar both in membership and in the skies.

Helots embrace Servitor support, industrial production at record efficiency.

Cadet Aeroclubs soar both in membership and in the skies.

Laconia has gave birth to a new generation that does not only treat the reclaimed capability of powered flight as something normal, but also as something to be mastered.

Every Federation city now possess at least one Cadet Aeroclub where young Citizens and promising Helots seek to become top Valkyrie aces. Children as young as 6 are now capable of piloting a Valkyrie Trainer aircraft and shooting down unauthorized objects performing orbital insertions into Federation airspace. The Federal Network went to Hawk of Chiron to learn what the next generation of aces has to say about their experiences in the local Aeroclub.

Thomas, Age 9: “No failure fetishist from the Peacekeepers will drop on my town!”

Jane, Age 7: “I learned the vulcan gun is used to shoot down parachutes and the people hanging from them. Scorpion Impact cannons are for the drop pods!”

Missy, Age 10: “Napalm is sticky, so they can never escape the fire!”

See their smiles? That's the spirit of Laconia's youth, always eager to learn and and use that knowledge in the real world.

”Would you like to know more?”

The TURN is 126.

Peace is no longer an option. The first shots were fired by Sparta just as the Peacekeepers rushed their Space Elevator Project. The age of the carebear is over.

With Kalin aggressively going for the Space Elevator for the past few turns, including going 80% labs at some points, the situation started to get tense for me. Due to allowing drop troops to drop anywhere on the map, the playing field is set to skew too much in his favor with this project. I hate orbital insertions, it takes way too much effort to prepare for them and it makes things rather frustrating for the defenders. The damn thing has to go. A pity I can't Kurgan it like 4 games ago , gotta try to do this the hard way.

Even if he had purely peaceful intentions to spam energy satellites and did not attempt to alpha strike me from orbit using this newfound ability, I would rather not take the chances and declare war anyway. His production on the TURN he rushed the Space Elevator made his plans quite clear and I figure it justified my paranoia (or it is just us both feeding each other's paranoia into a self-fulfilling prophesy )

Given the above, I wish to address the following statement from Morgan Industries.

Mr. Morgan went on to express his hope that those same foreign powers would beat their swords into plowshares, as it were, since Chiron is big enough for everyone, especially since we are fast approaching the time when we can once again travel between the stars.

Is this madness? No.

Spoiler

I guess we'll find out soon enough if I'm deader than the above meme.