General Note
If you are having issues scrolling all the way to the bottom, commenting, or seeing this thread in its entirety I'd suggest using Internet Explorer or Chrome. Apparently Firefox has an issue with very long pages (which this is) and won't display them in their entirety.
Early in the 21st century the United States of America suffered a catastrophic financial collapse. As a result it retreated into isolationism. Greatly reduced national income was barely sufficient to maintain it's infrastructure and massive scale backs in military spending crippled it's military. It faded from the global view as a superpower.
Europe, bereft the much hated power that had nonetheless protected it for the past half century was unable to shoulder the burden of self defense while maintaining their extensive social programs. NATO without the United States fell apart. Suffering from extensive social unrest due to a rising tax burden on the younger generations due to their comparatively small size, extensive foreign immigration (from primarily Muslim nations) without assimilation, and with a critical energy crisis many traditional European nations began to fade even as they became fundamentally Muslim nations.
At the same time a resurgent Russia attempted to reestablish itself as a global power. China likewise expanded, though for different reasons. Russia expanded west and retook the vast majority of it's former territory as the USSR and expanded still, taking almost everything east of France. China took control of the majority of southeastern Asia and the Pacific with the notable exceptions of Japan and India. Both had drastically expanded militarily at the first sign of Chinese expansion, Japan buying up much of the United States Pacific fleet to provide a buffer for itself and India turning it's fledgling economy to military production. In the process India destroyed what little economic growth it had, but it's course was set. With the rise of the Islamic Alliance (as detailed below) it had no choice but to continue military production in the interest of national security even as it destroyed the nation.
In the end both China and Russia bit off more then they could chew. By the 2030's both were suffering from massive manpower shortages. Their populations had been in a steady decline since the early 1980's, China with their own population control measures that produced a new generation half the size of the last, and Russia as a result of social and economic factors that did not promote families or children which had the same result as China's measures.
Russia by far faced the larger issue. Pacifying it's new western holdings proved a costly task in both manpower and materials, but the larger issue they faced was their sudden near Muslim majority. Internal terrorism from Islamic extremists across the new Russian Federation was devastating and all but unstoppable.
During this time much of North Africa and the Middle East was united into the Islamic Alliance. With access to arguably the largest available energy reserves, with the possible exception of the American reserves which had lain untapped for decades and which would take years still to come to fruition for America, they strangled the energy deprived Europe and all but controlled them by proxy. It was both a power play against the Russian Federation which had previously supported their energy needs and a bid by the Islamic Alliance for expansion into a decrepit and largely (by this point) Muslim Europe. The exact rational behind the decision was extremely complex and grounded both in practical plans for expansion, religious motivations (attempting to unite the world under Islam as instructed by the Prophet Mohammad millennia before), and anger within the general populace over the treatment of Muslims within the Russian Federation.
The World map following the expansion of the new super powers
At this point the Russian Federation faced enormous issues on every front. Their energy reserves, long tapped to fuel both their own expansion and used until the emergence of the Islamic Alliance to pacify and control what of Europe they didn't already control, were severely depleted. Even the most optimistic estimates only gave their oil and natural gas reserves another decade of production at anything approaching their present levels. Coal was already largely played out. Nuclear power, the obvious alternative to at least domestic and commercial power generation had been largely avoided after two nuclear plants had been destroyed by domestic terrorism. Internally they faced enormous social unrest, both from the traditional Russian people and from their newer largely Islamic citizens in what of Europe they held. The power play but the Islamic Alliance only served to exacerbate these issues. It began to slip from largely democratic nation into a military dictatorship.
In 2036 it finished it's slide, with enormous support from the traditional Russian people. The new military leadership promised a return to Russian property under the same principles that had grown it into a superpower following the fall of the United States, largely ignoring the fact that the world had changed enormously since that time, and the fact that such principles had gotten them into their current situation. Tensions with the Islamic Federation increased steadily as Russia engaged in further military buildup. The Islamic Alliance increases it's own military spending in turn.
Quietly during this time the United States was reestablishing itself in the world using the model that had propelled it to greatness in the first place. With China's manufacturing abilities largely gone following their population doom (the term coined to describe the massive reduction in the size of the most recent generation) the United States stepped up to provide production of most goods. Slowly but surely under the direction of the new party born in the wake of the economic collapse in the early part of the century, the Nationalists, the economy rebuilt itself into the economic juggernaut it had once been in the twentieth century, though the United States was careful to show no interest in expansion or interference in the affairs of the Islamic Alliance or Russian Federation. As such, and given it's comparatively small military, it was largely written off by both superpowers. In 2036 Joseph Alexander was elected President of the United States in a shocking upset to the Nationalist party. Running independently he was the first candidate to win election in the nation's history. Under President Alexander's direction federal spending, formerly scaled back along with taxes to help promote economic growth, is increased ten fold in virtually all scientific fields. Shortly thereafter the first major breakthrough in previously outlawed human cloning is made.
Joseph Alexander
In 2038 tensions between the Islamic Alliance and the Russian Federation reach the boiling point and escalates into open war. Like the great wars of the 20th century this battle is fought largely in Europe. The Islamic Alliance had little interest in expanding into what they soon knew would be little more then a Siberian wasteland and Russia lacked the logistical ability to wage a war in the Middle East without enormous difficulty. Within a year the war claims three million lives, with no sign of stopping. Russia holds a technological edge and is better able to deploy it's forces, but the Islamic Alliance has a massive edge in manpower and the advantage of insurgents within Russia itself that while not crippling to the Russian war effort was very damaging.
The world map at the beginning of the war between the Russian's and Alliance.
Both nations destroy their economies and social production capabilities along with their next generation of young men in the war and become more and more dependent on trade with the United States while remaining woefully ignorant or careless to the growing power of the United States. In 2044 President Alexander leaves office with generally high approval despite his failure to resolve the Islamic-Russian war. He immediately goes to work within the private sector, specifically within manufacturing and advanced applied sciences. His successor is a weak man. American's grow more and more disturbed by the growing war in Europe and the enormous loss of life. In 2045 nuclear weapons are used for the first time in the Islamic-Russian war. Berlin and six other cities are destroyed. The environmental effects are nearly as stunning as the lose of life but the war swings in favor of the Russian federation and the war expands into many previously neutral European nations. In response (and at the urging of many European leaders) the American president sends a token peacekeeping force into Europe in an attempt to shield parts of it from the conflict at the insistence of the remaining European leaders and attempts to hold peace talks between Russia and the Alliance. Both blow up in his face.
Both nations walk away from the bargaining table and threaten to limit trade with the United States if it does not withdraw its forces. In 2046 nearly sixty thousand American soldiers are killed when the war jumps into eastern France and they are caught between Russian and Islamic forces. The President of the United States withdraws American troops from th region and largely concedes to the demands of both the Alliance and the Federation, unwilling to risk further loss of life, damage to trade relations, or open war. This further enforces the idea that America is weak in the eyes of much of the world. His approval rating plummets into the single digits as the American people react to the death of their young men and women. Within two weeks 90% of all trade between the United States and offending parties disappears, not due to any action on the part of any government, but instead in anger over the lose of life by the American people. Russia and the Alliance both make grandiose if largely empty threats as the president cowers and flounders in indecision. Former President Alexander becomes the voice for the outraged of the American people. In 2046 candidates he supports win election to Congress in landslides. There is open talk and wide speculation that he is the only leader who will stand up for American interests abroad. The 22nd amendment is repealed and current President Mathew Adams is impeached. In emergency elections Alexander is elected to a third term of office. He makes no secret his intention to enter the war if he wins the election. His first act is the commissioning of two dozen next generation aircraft carriers, broad expansion of military spending, and a suspension of all remaining trade with the Russian Federation and the Islamic Alliance. The two rage at the slap in the face and at the American military buildup but do little more, their finances, manpower, manufacturing, and in Russia's case energy reserves all critically depleted by eight years of war.
In 2047 the USS Freedom, USS Justice, USS Destiny, USS Legend, USS Independence, and USS Fury roll out of shipyards in rapid succession to the amazement of much of the world. Few realize that the shipyards used to produce the ships were financed by Alexander during his presidency in preparation for these events. The carriers are deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and immediately catch the eye of the world. President Alexander demands, not requests as President Adams did, that the Alliance and Federation seek peace. When both refuse the carriers begin strategic strikes on both nations infrastructure, military forces, and supply stockpiles and addresses the United States, and much of the world, declaring that war between the human race must become a thing of the past, and that if necessary he will unite the world under one flag to do so.
USS Freedom
The Russian Federation and Islamic Alliance attempt to respond to the attacks and are crushed by the carrier strike group. For the first time the United States reveals it's enormous edge in technology as individual American warplanes engage entire squadrons and dominate them. Within two weeks the remains of both nation's navel forces and air power are gone. Both attempt strikes with nuclear weapons, only to have them countered by more advanced technology. Alexander responds with nuclear strikes on both the Islamic Alliance and the Russian Federation. Million die. Russia officially surrenders to the United States of America on April 19th, 2047. The Islamic Alliance is more stubborn, believing the United States lacks the manpower to invade and occupy it, much less it and Russia. They are mistaken.
Following the Russian Surrender
The further fruits of America's technological buildup under President Alexander are shown. On October 1st, 2047 the United States lands half a million soldiers in the former Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Egypt simultaneously. Millions more follow. Each is a clone, grown specifically for the war. Millions more occupy Russia.
Clone Armies
On November 29th, 2047 the Islamic Alliance officially surrenders. An insurgency continues for decades to follow but is ground out by the turn of the century by the overwhelming manpower that is brought to bear.
Following the Islamic Surrender
On January 1st, 2048 Japan, Great Britain, India, the remains of France and Spain, and dozens of smaller nations officially sign, with some objection, the Pact of Dominance, giving the United States near absolute power within their borders. Over the next two years regional governors are put in place in each country to oversee them, each effectively having unlimited power within their nations to implement changes seen as necessary by President Alexander.
Following the signing of the Pact
On March 2nd the handful of nations that refused to sign the Pact are invaded by clone armies. Backlash within such nations and abroad as well as domestically is terrible for Alexander in the short term, but by the end of the month each nation has been pacified, effectively placing the entire world under Alexanders command. He has command of over fifty million cloned soldiers and the most technologically advanced military in the world by a wide margin.
By 2049 democracy was virtually gone in the world, save for within the United States, wiped away in favor of regional dictatorships controlled ultimately by one man, Joseph Alexander. Even with the population depletion of the past half century never before had so many human beings lived under one mans power. At the same time never before had so many beings died by the order of a single man. Conservative estimates put the dead between Alexander's nuclear strikes and invasions at over one hundred million.
In 2050 an alien probe crash landed in North America. Knowledge that mankind was not alone, that other races were in the galaxy and more advanced shocked the populace. It was enough to secure Alexander's reelection. Over the next four years Alexander laid the groundwork for what would become an Empire. In 2055 he declared himself emperor. At that point there was no stopping his rule. Since that time he has ruled the Empire, thanks to great advances in medical technology, with an just but firm hand. Democracy, as school children are taught within the Empire, was a failed experiment. People are not on the whole worthy to rule the planet themselves. Instead individual leaders with foresight, the best interests of humanity at heart, and talent are to rule using armies of clones that are utterly loyal while under Alexander's supervision.
It is those same clones that mankind plans to reach into the stars with. It knows it cannot compete with other races who have expanded across thousands of worlds over thousands of years and who have hundreds of billions of citizens. Mankind as it expands in the 23rd century will do so with billions of clones to man factories, fight wars, and build warships, overseen by a comparative handful of true human commanders who are overseen in turn by the Emperor. In 2225 the first ships, outfitted with newly designed hyper drives are ready to launch into space to begin mankind's journey through the stars.
Game Settings
Civilization Settings
Economics +30%
Weapons +10%
Moral +20%
Social Production +10%
Military Production +20%
Research +10%
Luck +25%
Creativity +25%
Super Ability
Super Breeder
Party
Technologist Party
Starting Technology
New Propulsion Techniques
Hyperdrive
Ion Drive
Xeno Engineering
Xeno Research
Opponents
Dregin
Thalan
Arcean
Yor
Krynn
Altarians
Map
Habitable Planets: Abundant
Number of Planets: Common
Number of Stars: Common
Star Density: Tight
Anomalies: Abundant
Asteroids: Abundant
Tech Rate: Normal
Minor Civilizations: 7
Starting Position
OOC Pretty good actually. I've got almost the perfect tight clusters setup, far enough away from the AI's that we can each colonize our culsters. I've also apparently got one of the larger clusters. Means I can expand at my own pace. Unfortunantly given the distance odds are I won't get to trade tech for funds, so balancing the economy is going to be important.
Starting World
OOC No bonus tiles of note. Shame. I typically run with the all factory stratogy, but I think this time around I'll go balanced to see how it works. I set some factories and labs to build and send my ships out to find new worlds.
We have one chance and one chance alone to survive in the galaxy, we must expand quickly. I've reviewed logs, telemetry, and reports from deep space probes. As near as we can tell there are six major races expanding toward Earth. These expanding elements are only pieces of much larger empires that hold thousands of worlds. We don't know of they will be hostile towards us, but must assume they will be. The other option, assuming they come in peace and being wrong is more terrible then I can imagine. If we allow them to control this sector of the galaxy we will never survive as a race. The first colony ship is ready, loaded with half a billion clones. We understand the process now and future ships won't take nearly as long to construct. Production on the next is already underway.
It is days like today that I am thankful I have absolute power. In the ancient days, 21st century there would be factions demanding we attempt to contact any aliens, protesting the idea of taking weapons into space or killing other sentient life. The time for such nativity is long past. The galaxy is a big place full of big beings. Time for humanity to grow up.
I've put Captain Earnheart in command of Survey I. He's a fine enough commander, though hardly the best or brightest. I have no intention of letting them out of my sight. He is however seasoned and loyal which is nearly as important. The kind of man you want to make first contact.
Captain Earnheart
First Colony
OOC My first colony is a beauty, a class 17 world with bonus research and manufacturing tiles. Given it's location in the center of my empire I'm thinking research focused world.
Today our first colony ship landed on a world that can only be described as a near paradise from what I have heard. The ship has already been broken down into initial factories and labs for our technicians, along with a batch of cloning vats. I have to admit it makes me feel at least somewhat more relaxed to know that if something happens to this, our Earth, the human race will survive.
Four Months In
OOC I've only got one world... which is extremely annoy. Splitting between research and production is destroying my manufacting speed. I just got my second colony ship finished. I've researched Stellar Cartography, Space Militarization, and Sensors.
Expansion is... slow. We just finished the construction of our second colony vessel. Sadly construction is not proceeding as smoothly as we had originally hoped. We've had some breakthroughs, we nearly doubled the range of our ships sensors, but even the technological front isn't particularly optimistic. The only plus is we have yet to encounter a further alien vessel, though our deep space sensors report to us that they are out there, and they are expanding just as we are.
First Ethical Event
OOC Stupid event. I want to go Neutral but I'm not shelling out BC for stupid space frogs.
On our third colony we discovered an alien ship full of mutant frog like beings that seem to have been breed for combat. The creatures viciously attacked several clone soldiers. I ordered the site nuked from orbit. No use taking chance. I'm disheartened by the fact that first contact with an alien species resulted in human casualties and the confirmation that there are militant races in the galaxy.
As a note, this game is still in progress and it may take a long time to finish, especially since the next month or so is a nightmare for me, and the month after that is going to be comparative blissful heaven, but not the kind of heaven I'll have time or incentive to spend much time on Gal Civ with. Expect periodic updates. The flavor/story at this point hasn't begun to develop because... it's a pain to write much when nothings happened. Colonization is boring. I'm having to work to stop and take screen shots, but I know how much they add. Expect the story on Earth and across the galaxy to spice up eventually. Not everything on Earth is as passive as it sounds. Some few are still strongly opposed to Alexander.
Also, art is a pain to find.
If you have any questions about the timeline, the game, or anything else feel free to ask, hell, I'll even ask you to. I've got the events prior to the start of the game sketched out far more firmly in my head, but adding them with most of it written tends to drag down the writing in general. It's much easier for me to explain them outside of the context of the tale. Ad hoc as it were.
Some of the events are based in current events (instability in financial markets, Russian expansion but lack of population (and with China), Europe's dependance on Russia for it's energy needs) while others are so far off keel that it isn't even funny. The idea of the Middle East uniting is, in a practical sense, laughable at present given some of the divides within it, but makes for a good story. I needed a foil for Russia.
Wow, you put a frakk-load of thought into this! I love all the strategic geopolitical detail in the backstory. While I disagree with the likelihood of some of the overall trends and events (such as larger & larger political entities), a very entertaining read! Great job with the maps, pictures, and screenshots too.
I was going to say something about how unlikely it was for the Middle East to unite, considering it has long been one of the most volatile and fractious regions of the world, but you already commented on that in your second post.
I do have a few questions. Did Russia expand militarily or was it more of an economic/political influence sort of process? Who were the soldiers cloned from...just one person, or many people? How old is Alexander? What is the state of religion in the 23rd century?
Cant wait to read more!
Sentient species taste better...
OOC I've reached the 10 month mark but only added planetary improvements, xeno communication, universal translator, and xeno entertainment to my researched techs. Split as my empire is between research and production I'm not hitting the research total's I'd like. My population is growing, though even at zero taxes I'm having issues keeping moral at 100%. I think the problem is Earth, which should be cranking out more transports then it is. Overcrowding isn't making the people happy, and it's problematic for my super breeder ability. Without super breeding working as well as I'd like I'm running at a -179 deficit each week. I've spotted a moral resource that could help with my problems, but I can't spare the weeks of colony ships I'd lose to build a constructor for it on earth.
The empire continues to expand at my direction. Six worlds and 34 billion clones under the command of roughly 3 billion humans.
Alexander set down the pen. "I just don't have the patience for these diaries anymore." he remarked to no one in particular. He looked over at the bookcase full of them and again at the minuscule entry he was working on. I'm just too damn old. In years past he had recorded every thought, plot, and plan in painstaking detail. Now with more to record then ever before he could barely record the minimum.
Russia's expansion was primarily militarily, though their increased military and willingness to engage in warfare made them quite the political bully as well. The clones were originally based on a single person, but in the modern era they are from a number of sources, each genetically predisposed toward various roles.
Alexander is about 340 years old at this point. From 2020 on they made substantial breakthroughs in cell regeneration and in 2056 they made a major breakthrough. By stopping cellular mutation and perfecting cell reproduction they were effectively able to stop aging, though the information at large has been kept from most of the populace (as we all know aging is caused by cells breaking down and producing themselves imperfectly). Physically he's no older then 50, but he is easily mistaken for 35. Given how well he aged even before the breakthroughs, his physical shape, and off the chart IQ there was and to an extent still is some speculation that he might have been genetically engineered himself.
Religion... well it isn't gone, despite Alexander's best efforts. Islam in particular is tough to eradicate and pockets still exist that tend to be far more devout then the pockets of other religions. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism also still exist, though as a rule fundamentalism in these religions is a thing of the past. Most are casual worshipers at best. He cracked down on it pretty hard when in the 2050's people started calling him the anti-Christ.
Bring it on this is a really well thought out and researched AAR and has me gripped already
where's the popcorn?
you took the words out of mouth... i was thinking the same thing but what is this empire called? the impreim of man the Terran Empire what?
The Empire. In later games (assuming I make it that far, I intend on doing a number of AARs to chronical it's expansion into other sectors) it may become the Empire of Humen or the Empire of Man. They couldn't come up with a PC name at first.
well if you need any help i will be glad to help.
An AAR would be fun from two points of view.
As I have said in the past an evil empire would not consider itself to be evil. Nor would it run around introducing itself as the evil klingon empire.
In the case of the Klingon empire they would maybe introduce themselves as the honorable Klingon Empire.
I like the story.
Danielost is correct in my opinion. Unless a society totally and deliberately celebrated their evilness, they likely wouldnt see themselves as evil. My Kzinti Empire for example would be considered evil by just about everyone, but Kzinti see devouring other sentient beings as completely natural and right.
BTW, welcome back danielost! I think its been quite a while since I've seen you on the forums.
1 question about the maps: are the countries in kakhi not part of any alliances?
by the way, great story.
I have been playing spore. If you want to see my creatures I am on the spore site with the same name.
Even if they celebrated their evilness. They wouldn't see themselves as evil.
Correct. Red is the Russian Federation, Dark Blue the remains of the United States, Green the Islamic Alliance, Yellow China, and light blue countries that while not united are largely indepedant, mostly on account of military power. Pink are primarily muslim but independant nations. Everything else is unaligned or largely powerless.
Fifteen Months
OOC My super breeder is officially nonfunctional. It's pretty annoying that there is nothing I can do to improve earths happiness. I started with +20% Moral, and spent several months researching up to Xeno Entertainment for the added +15%, yet even at 0% taxes I wasn't able to keep my population at 100%. Super annoying Earth. Even with half my slider on military and focused military production it just couldn't crank out transports fast enough to deal with it's overcrowding issue. Not sure how I'm going to resolve the issue. In any case it became a moot point. I had to crank up taxes to pay for my colonies. Thankfully I haven't developed the vast majority except to place a single farm on them. I've got one world that's my research capital, but other then that my empire is blank slate. The other empires are finally starting to really expand, which is good, I had been worried for a while that they had all defaulted to fool or something. I've got twelve worlds and found a minor right on my doorstep. I still haven't touched the moral resource, but it looks like some AI's have grabbed some of their own. Problematic. Looks like the Krynn and the Thalans are going to get into it right on my doorstep, maybe I'll be able to mop them up. Otherwise I'll go eat the Yor. First I'm going to finish claiming every planet in this system though and fully build up my infrastructure. I've never sent a fleet across such a vast expanse and I'm sure any tech will be outdated by the time I reach the other wise. Means I need a large enough fleet that I can overwhelm them with numbers and enough transports to claim most of the system. A true invasion force. Should be interesting.
Joseph looked down at his reports for the week. There was growing discontent within the Empire over the newly imposed taxes. He could sympathize with their anger, for the better part of two years people had gotten used to not having them, but the fact was his cash reserves were too low. Time for the people to start paying for their survival. They may not like it, but if they tried to rebel they knew they would be crushed. We now have 12 worlds. Sixty seven billion lives are under my command, and it is still petty compared to the major powers of this galaxy. Conservative estimates give them hundreds of worlds and in all likelihood billions of lives in each of these worlds. Those are the conservative estimates. It is difficult to get an accurate read given only deep space radio data. That's what my advisers tell me. Truth be told I don't need their advice, but it gives them something to do and keeps them from causing trouble. I hold them close because I don't want them running loose. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. They are among the brightest humanity has to offer. I dare not leave them alone lest in their brilliance they decide to do something stupid. Our reports from the closer systems carries some ill news. The other races within our system are expanding. How many worlds they have claimed I don't know for sure yet, but it appears that there will be a battle for this system.
First Minor
OOC Not sure if I'm going to kill them off yet. Might be fun to go al Federation on them and get their treaties and keep them alive. Won't hurt to try. They are, or should be, far enough inside my cluster that unless someone else gets a foothold here (which I won't allow) I should be able to protect them if I want to.
Captain Earnheart made contact with the first sentient race we have thus far encountered. They call themselves the Akilians. They are blue skinned hairless, and truth be told hidious, humanoids. More then their appearance their attitude offends me. They grovel and try to flatter us. It is disgusting. I ask myself what I would do if faced with a vastly superior race, with more advanced technology in nearly every way and nearly unlimited soldiers. Then I realize that I expanded when faced with that situation instead of hiding and begging for mercy. You cannot count on others to protect you, shelter you, or even spare you. I haven't decided what to do with this petty race. They are clearly no threat. While space faring their range is extremely limited. At worst they could land on a few of our most outlying colonies, and their population is extremely limited. So long as we keep our cloning tech out of their hands they won't do anything stupid. Still, leaving them unmolested this close to Earth, the cradle of humanity, is not something I am sure that I'm ready to accept. It is something to be decided later.
21 Months
OOC I was right about the Thalan's and the Krynn, but it looks like the Thalan's are going to dominate that confrontation when it happens. Means I'm going to have to eat them first. I can't let them eat all three of those star clusters, especially since the Arceans are pinned in the corner and ripe for eating as well. They got shafted on starting position. Looks like I may finish expanding first, in which case I should be able to really militarize before the others. With any luck I'll be able to Blitzkrieg the Thalans before the get that massive machine they call their industrial capacity running. In the past they have dominated my large and larger maps. Super hive is broken, its also my favorite super ability, but picking it up means I have to pick between either research or manufacturing, and specifically manufacturing, which I didn't want to do this game. I'm running at an on off deficit and my expansion and taxes try to out pace each other. I haven't slowed down building colony ships at all.
Twenty worlds. Eighty five billion lives. I'm growing particularly concerned with the fringe colonies. I hope they don't do anything stupid. The last thing humanity needs is more infighting these days. We have to expand, and having to stop and build transports for a few armies to put down some rebellious colony would waste more time then we have, especially now. Deep space probes report the other major races in this sector are expanding rapidly. Very rapidly. We still havent actually encountered any races yet other then the Akilians, though I would hardly call them a major race.
24 Months
OOC The Thalans have expanded to within one sector of me, but thankfully we haven't made contact yet. I'm working on extreme colonization so I can finish colonizing my cluster in it's entirety, but I'm not confident that I'll be able to do so before they reach me. I'm also building several more survey ships and some construction vessels. My population continues to grow. I'm over a hundred billion now. I'm up to 26 worlds. Of course 24 of those worlds have nothing but a colony and a farm, but such is life. I can't build them up until my population is nearly at it's maximum or I face bankrupting myself. As it stands I'm barely breaking even each month with taxes as they are. I hope I'm not falling too far behind the AI's. Of course without having contacted them I have no way of knowing how I match up with them. There is an advantage to that of course, they aren't extorting me.
Expansion continues. It seems all I write of late. Based on deep space telemetry we should make contact with our first major alien civilization soon.
27 Months
OOC Not much to say. Still trying to get extreme colonization techs done so the other races don't expand into my little bubble. Normally I wouldn't, but normally I'd also be playing all factories or all research. Might as well experiment. A bit.
Well, we made first contact, but it wasn't with who we thought it would be with. More on that later. We've finally constructed a station around an odd anomaly Earnheart discovered almost a year ago. The odd liquid seems to be a catchall treatment for most illnesses. Revealing it to the population, showing something good from space, has done wonders to improve moral across the Empire. I've ordered the starbase around the resource be expanded. I ran into an issue with the researchers I had put on development of technologies for extreme planet colonization. The morons were trying to develop a method for adapting the worlds instead of adapting to the worlds. I resisted the urge to execute them for incompetence and corrected their research direction. We are engineering a batch of clones that breath water, another that can withstand radiation, another that can go without water for weeks, and others to occupy these worlds. Put troops on them first, then worry about building infrastructure on them. The important thing is denying them to other races. A foothold in our little corner of the sector would allow them to reach nearly any planet with their own forces. We have to deny them a beachhead, I just hope the fools didn't waste too much time.
The Yor
OOC Well here's the first enemy race. I'm faster. Oh, and I have the lead in every single category save military.
The Discovery sent a distressing report in their last data stream. They've encountered another alien race. They call themselves the Yor and first contact did not go well. While several crew members were investigating a derelict vessel in space the Yor vessel approached and landed its own forces on the ship. The ensuing confrontation resulted in a firefight that left six clones and a citizen dead on our end. Yor casualties are unconfirmed, but we were able to capture one of them before the Yor vessel fled. Not a good first contact, but I can hardly blame Earnheart, especially with the prisoner he got us and the information that he has procured. The Yor are sentient machines with an innate distaste for organic life. At least that is the story it put forth. Examination of its memory banks confirmed everything he told us, and give us preliminary information on the civilization, population, technological level, and industry. Surprisingly the news was good. We actually have the lead in all the above categories. It also revealed they have begun to militarize. Given the speed of their flagship I'm not concerned yet. It will take them at least six months to reach us, enough time to locate them incoming and prepare a response.
Discovery II
OOC The second generation survey ship. Matchs up quite well with the Yor flag. It's faster, larger, and has a much larger crew (not that it matters in game terms)
In response to the alien aggression we've commissioned a new class of exploration class. The Empire class Survey vessel is loaded with a light battalion of marines to resist boarding and help secure locations of interest. It's also equipped with two Impulse drives. It has some drawbacks of course, the larger crew results in shorter range.
Captain Locke
I've placed command of the Discovery II in the hands of Captain Locke. He's a harder man then Earnheart, which is what a military vessel needs.
Xeno Entertainment took several months? I'm used to playing on very fast tech, but still, judging from that, I'd say you might want to up your tech output. Also, if you get the next level of morale tech (cant remember what it is at the moment), it will allow you to build the Ultra Spices wonder which should help you out a lot.
Probably a silly question, but did you build a morale structure on Earth?
And I believe Super-Breeder still gives you some benefit at lower morale rates, and not just at 100%.
I'm going to go with Ethics here in a minute, which nets harmony crystals and a bonus to + moral across the empire if I go Neutral. It also takes less time then the next level of entertainment. Normal speed tech isn't too bad, but I will be turning up research here shortly.
No, I didn't build a morale structure on earth, though in hindsight I probably should have. Never even occured to me. I don't usually build morale structures.
Super Breeder is useless, it helped be a lot earth, but it is very annoying that I wasn't able to keep 100% morale.
thats why i don't use Breeder i use diplomant or the trader ability
Too Late
OOC Dammit. Dammit Dammit Dammit. The damn Thalans are expanding into my cluster because they are bastards like that. I doubt that they have fully colonized their cluster, but being the Thalans they have to be difficult. War is going to come much earlier then I thought. Worse then their expansion is the fact that they have a sizable lead in every single category except influence (where we are tied) and population (where I have them beat 3-1). They are killing me in research and industry. Which of course means that they are going to be shipping colony ships into my territory nonstop. There is no way I can keep up. Its time to start building up my colonies. Further extreme colonization is a luxury I can't afford. I'm going to be hard pressed to get the one's I have operating at 100%.
Bugs. I should have known bugs would take to the stars. When you look at how industrious they are it is no surprise that they are fantastic at the space colonization game. We found our first major power planet today. The race identified themselves as the Thalans. I've ordered stepped up production on colony ships, but earth is already opperating at its peak. Information we hacked out of their computers reveals several horrifying facts. First, their incredible technological lead on us. I've doubled funding to research projects in light of this revelation. Second, the sizable navy they have in place. Third, the absurd industry they have access to. They can out produce us three to one. I fear that left unchecked they will dominate this sector and we will become little more then a fleeting memory. I won't let it happen so long as I am alive. Laboratories are switching their focus to weapons while our colonies are beginning to industrialize. Humanity is a sleeping giant right now. It has the potential to become the power in this sector. Time to wake it up. Hopefully it will be roused before the enemy stands over us with a sword.
Colony Ships
OOC Here they come. By this time they already have several other colonies on my fringe, but these are in the heart of my systems. Three colony ships. Earth simply can't keep up with the Thalan Empires total manufacturing. In the time that they have taken half a dozen worlds within my cluster I've produced only a handful of colony ships.
Joseph threw the report across the room, but that didn't change anything. Three Thalan colony ships in the heart of the Empire. If they were warships they could have been shelling earth right then. Of course as it was it might be better if they were. Three more Thalan colonies in human space. On top of the half dozen they already had on the fringe.
Under Their Nose
OOC I just snatched this category 19 planet right out from under that colony ship. A lone bright spot in the Thalan Blitzkrieg.
The ship landed a mere four hours before the Thalan ship entered orbit, beating them out only because Joseph had personally ordered them to the planet and had plotted their new course. He smiled a little bit at that. Not often did he get to take a truly direct hand in actions, not anymore. Instead he got to give orders to subordinates who gave orders to subordinates who gave orders to subordinates. It was pleasant to take a direct hand.
31 Months
OOC They have 10 worlds I can see within my cluster. That's nearly 1/3rd as many as I have total. And that is simply within my cluster. They are also spread across two others. I need to make contact with the Krynn and get them to go to war with the Thalans to slow them down, but I don't have any ships in the area. I'm still 3-6 months from even remotely ready for war. My colonies are not developed and I have almost no military tech. I'm not used to being in this situation, but I don't think it is quiet as bad as it looks. The Thalans have a tech edge, but uping my tech spending has let me pull away from them in current research, and their spending is falling overall. I think their rush to grab worlds and high taxes (as indicated by their powerful economy vs. population) is crippling their population growth and slowing them down. I on the other hand am running in the + with 94% approval. I have nowhere to go but up. Further I can buy up some cheap military tech from the Akilians. I knew I kept them around for a reason. Since the 27 month mark I've researched Xeno Ethics and aligned with Neutral.
They are still expanding within our systems. Ten worlds we can see, a probable half dozen others. God knows how many ships we cant' see within our system. My scientists tell me that they are close to a breakthrough with sensors. They are begging me to let them go back to that research and finish it. I can't let them. We are too far behind militarily as it is.
Our population has ballooned to over 200 billion. An astonishing number. I wonder how I will manage this Empire in this sector, much less this galaxy. That is of course assuming we survive long enough to expand that far. It is contingent on controlling this sector. The Thalans are making that problematic.
We've located another anomaly in space, this one seems to possess properties that influence the thoughts of others. We could use it to expand our influence on other empires, but I haven't ordered it be claimed yet. Against the races we have encountered thus far, bugs and machines, it is of little use. We can't spare the production capacity needed to build a ship to claim it anyway. As it stands Earth cannot keep up with the Thalan's production capacity. They are swamping us with transports. Even conservative estimates put the shipyards on our colonies at ten-twelve weeks away from producing viable ships. By then I fear they will have already claimed every remaining planet within our cluster. At least they will be able to produce troop transports.
Elections
OOC Not much to say here. I upgraded to Democracy and had my first set of elections, which I won handily.Democracy. I hate it. I can't believe I let it back into the galaxy, but it was necessary to keep the colonies in line. Give them a voice, or make them think they have a voice and they will shut up. I haven't given the Senate any real power, but they think they have it. It still makes me ill.
I don't plan on leaving the other races here alive long enough for trader to be worth anything, and diplomate has never seemed worth it to me. Usually my diplo is sky high anyway due to advanced goverements.
Try and buy the Thalan worlds thats what i do. i start wars between other races and buy the victores planets for half of the eforet.
Things are getting really complicated really fast. Suffice to say war with the Thalan's is imminent. Allowing them to expand any further will result in them winning this game. Their relations with me are going downhill fast. I've got some screenies of the buildup to the war, and a dozen or so things to write up before I start the war though.
I'm the big underdog going into the fight as per the stats and graphs, but I do have some advantages. My ships are equipped with the proper weapons and defenses against the Thalan light cruisers, the best ships they are fielding right now, and I've just finished with Large hulls. As they roll off the assembly line 4-8 weeks into the war they'll be unstoppable. I've also got better then a dozen transports ready and most of the soldiering techs researched. And I have positioning on them. Their navy is out of position fighting a war with the Yor on the other side of the map, leaving only a small % of their forces to guard their planets within my cluster.
The goal of this war isn't to crush the Thalans. I just don't have the resources to sustain something like that at this time. The goal is to cripple them. Take 15-20 worlds, all of them within my cluster, and any notable worlds holding wonders outside then sue for peace. If I'm lucky I can cripple them enough to entice the Krynn or the Altarians (or both!) into taking a bit out of them as well, and maybe give the Yor the advantage on their front.
On the downside, I have no idea what their tech is capable of in the long run. The cruisers I'm seeing now are outdated, or should be if they have done any military research at all. Further, the UP voted to force declarations of war. The blitzkrieg is going to be on a week delay. That said, all and all I'm optimistic. In the long run things are getting messy across the sector though. Everyone is building up and the later wars are going to be hell. Thats what happens when you have a 3+ year colony rush though.
Krynn Extortion
OOC That's right, the Krynn are extorting me now. I give in to their demands for the moment, I can't afford relation with them to tank and further with the Thalan problem.
The Krynn are extorting us. They demanded some technology of limited value and several billion credits. I gave into the demand and threw up afterward. We just can't afford any more conflict right now, the Thalans are going to give us all we can take.
Thalan Diplomatic Situation with the Empire at 36 Months
OOC Yeh, I don't think the Thalans like us. Maybe it's because I culture flipped four of their worlds?
Our relations with the Thalans have never been lower. They are making no secret of the fact that they don't like or trust us. They have some reason not to. Unofficially we financed a number of colonists and provided them with arms, letting them land on Thalan colonies and wage their own guerrilla war against them. The result was the Thalans abandoning four worlds within our cluster, allowing us to land troops on them. All and all I don't know if it was worth it.
Yeh, I think they don't like us
OOC I guess that clears it up. Now I REALLY know they don't like us.
36 Months
OOC Not much to say here. Taking a small break from military tech to research banks and stock markets. My economy is tanking now that I have every world building something. I also need the stock markets to offset the Thalan restaurant of eternity. I'll skip the IC here, as I've gone over everything else.
Thalan Diplomatic Situation 36 Months
OOC Ah, but now they are at war with the Yor. Their fleets are streaking to the other side of the galaxy. This is the perfect time to strike! Sadly I don't have the forces at the moment to do so. My fleets are only beginning to role off the assembly line and I don't have any transports ready. Further, my economy is rocky to say the best. Most of my worlds are still producing the backbone of my economy, stock exchanges, and can't devote themselves to transport production, or any other production for that matter. I'm dirt broke, and war always kills your economy for whatever reason. War now will bankrupt me within a month, if not sooner.
We just received word. The Thalans are at war with the Yor. It's the perfect time to strike them, while their fleets are deplyed halfway across the sector. It's just not the perfect time for us. Our first warships are only now rolling off the assembly line and our economy is to fragile. All we can do is hope that they are tied up with their war for long enough for us to prepare.
Destiny Class Destroyer
OOC The Destiny class destroyer, our first warship. Armed with plasma weapons to cut through Thalan chaff and shields to stop incoming laser attacks they should be able to spearhead the future war with the Thalans.
The first Destiny class destroyer pulled out of space dock today. Armed with three plasma cannons and three shield generators I hope it's a match for the light cruisers the Thalans are fielding. We'll find out soon enough.
Captain Yaskai
Captain Yaskai is given command if the first Destiny class destroyer, the Fury. She's a fine commander and graduated second in her class at the Command Academy. She's adept at adapting to problems on the fly. Exactly what you want in the commander of your first warship in it's shakedown cruise. Sadly it will be a short run, and any design issues will have to be ironed out after production. War is coming to fast, I don't have time to wait for flaws to appear. More Destiny's are rolling out of our shipyards every week.
Our Finances at 43 Months
OOC My economy is finally ready for war seven months later. Most of my worlds are done producing stock exchanges and I have not only a firm coshion in the bank, but also strong revenue. I shift spending from research and social to military. 90% military, 1% social, 9% research.
Our economy is almost ready for war, even if our industry is still building up. I'm confident that even with the predicted drop in commerce that always accompanies a declaration of war we can stay in the green now. Lets hope we haven't been delayed too long. We just have to hope that peace holds a little longer.
1st Operational Battle Group
OOC The first Battle Group is ready. Unfortunately all seven ships are committed to taking only 2-3 worlds that are heavily defend. It has to be done, the worlds are too close to two of my primary shipyards.
Our logistical capacity is limiting the number of ships we can fleet, but I've assigned seven Destiny class ships to the eastern front under Admiral Mercer as the 1st. Operational Battle Group.
Admiral Mercer
I've placed the 1st Operational Battle Group, Battle Group, not fleet, because in reality they would form several fleets, under the command of Admiral Mercer. He's a good man with a record that goes back centuries. He spearheaded the initial thrust with the carrier battlegroup in the 2040s. Thank science for anti-aging tech. He's one of only a few commanders that have seen real combat.
46 Months
OOC I've got ships rolling off the conveyor belt on a dozen or more worlds. Mostly transports, but I do have 4 worlds producing Destiny class Destroyers. I'm still nowhere near a match for the Thalan absurd military rating, and they are killing me in everything else now as well, including tech. Not all my shipyards are ready, including what will be my primary, a category 29 aquatic world, but I'm out of time. If I wait any longer they are going to out tech me and crush me. Right now I have the advantage. I'm a human. I can adapt. Like John Conner I can beat the machine because I can think outside the box. Oh, and I can ambush the computer. I'm almost ready. It's taken me forever to get here though. All I can do is hope that the Thalan tech lead isn't insurmountable at this point, and that my high soldiering value lets me cream them on the ground. If I can take most of the worlds in my cluster I get the added bonus of some more tech. As a side note, their influence is killing me. I flipped like four of their worlds, but they have subsequently built the restaurant of eternity, and now their influence is overwhelming mine even with my extensive stock markets.
Arrayed against hundreds of Thalan cruisers, frigates, and destroyers we have a mere two dozen Destiny class destroyers. The difference is ours are in position and only have to hold off their fleets for a handful of weeks, long enough for our transports to land troops on their worlds. We are as ready for this war as we can afford. Our sources tell us the Yor are not fairing well, and the Thalans are busy researching more weapons. We have to strike now. I'm slightly amused. Humanity's first battles on earth were surely for survival, I guess space is no different. If we lose, we die.
This is absolutely gripping stuff Aluroon-superb! I love the way you are combining your thoughts with the actual story itself-more!
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
Sign in or Create Account
