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5 (2+3 Focus 3)

Hara Lemuno

"I say we have to defend what is important. If the pirates want to sabotage our fuel stations, let them run into a military behemoth and finish them once and for all. We don't have time or fuel to send fleets there. It needs to stand alone! Oh and I think our leader does great. Her daily approach to counil meetings and her overall personality only proves that our Utopia can survive anything... or allow anything."

Interesting start with the lack of fuel in the home system and the peace-loving Securans. If this was not a Harsh start then we got a bit unlucky (or lost too many mining stations to the pirates in those first four years). You almost sounded disappointed that we wouldn't be able to kick butt, but you made an excellent point about removing races that we can't make treaties with from the galaxy to help us with our victory conditions. [;)]

When I start with a fuel crunch and major resource shortages, I generally park a fleet on the system with my gas mining stations and keep it there, and also sometimes build some defensive bases next to my gas mining stations. Also build a few extra construction ships and queue a gas mining station on every gas giant with Caslon that you have found.

I think we should prioritize our research of Fusion so that we can start using Hydrogen instead of Caslon. We also have a lot of money, so for the time being I would contact all the pirates and pay for protection and even alliances until we are ready with our Fusion research. That should keep our gas mining stations safe until we can protect them ourselves. Conversely, we also have enough money to build a larger destroyer fleet and try to get rid of the pirate threat in a more direct way.

With the other resource issues, I think we're much better off buying off the pirates.

Try to negotiate a deal with the Zenox. Give them a large gift, then offer territory maps and some money in exchange for their territory map. Offer them a technology or more money if you can, then send our ambassador to their home world to try to get a free trade agreement. Chances are they have extra Steel and Polymer as it's unusual to have a severe shortage of those as we are experiencing right now and they are vital to most construction projects.

Also queue up as many mining stations on steel and polymer sites as you possibly can and protect the ones you have.

You've noticed that the pirates are a bit better armed than they were previously. They like to win.

I vote for keeping our Leader, she has definitely improved and should continue to do so as long as we keep our economy and diplomacy from imploding.

Keep a close eye on the Boskarans.

Regards,

- Erik

Strongly recommend you move to expose the Zenox threat for what it truly is: A ploy! They are simply too smug to trust.

I agree with Erik.

Get the trade going with the Zenox as priority number 1. That should hopefully alleviate the steel/polymer crisis.

As these stocks flow again queue some construction projects - all Caslon sources, the polymer world and then some more steel. Putting a couple of extra shields and a few weapons on our bases (particularly our gas mining concerns as the pirates seem particularly attracted to these) is recommended.

Once steel/polymer allows start to build up some destroyers. I suggest maximum size (230? or maybe we have 300?... I don't have Legends yet), no troops, three shields, max weapons for energy (=7 maxos but we may have better) 2 reactors, 4 armour, rest as engines/thrusters. (If size 300 probably an extra shield or two, some more armour, and more energy efficient weapons.) May well have enough room to get to 39 speed (remember Kaltors travel at 34...). Build at least 3, but maybe 4 or 5 of these as a pirate base destroying fleet. Set to flee at shields 50. Send them to Caslon base nearest pirates (protection plus refueling) as they are built. Oh, if we do not already know where the pirate bases are we will have to search for them. Pay protection only if the pirates are about to shoot us up again and we can't take them on.

Once we have enough ships, we may need more if they have a fleet at their base, take the pirates down. Go for the weaker of the two factions first (probably whichever has had less success against us) since we can do so earlier and stand a chance of the other faction joining us.

I would back our current leader. She seems to have taken to the role well.

Short term our economy doesn't look too bad. In the longer haul we should be looking to make the most of resort income, once it is possible.

Lack of fuel. Is something changed? I had explored quite a few systems until I found my first caslon source. I did not have a problem thought, the initial stock lasted until I found some.

I also after a while had 3 nice colonies (I think 2 were independents) sitting near each other, and not a caslon source for quite some distance. On the other hand, a different colony far away had 3 caslons sources in the system...

Seems the choice and RP part quickly changed into a full blown strategic micromanage meeting in detail. How shall he make a democratic choice out of this? You don't vote your goverment by debatting the whole future plans of the party on the voting bill.

Whoops, I missed the part about posting in-character. I will correct that for my next bit of advice. [8D]

As far as I can tell we are debating party policy rather than voting for a leader. Or would you like to move a vote of no confidence in Das123?

I think Ned was referring to this part from Das123's first post:

Extra weight to decisions will be given to role-played posts. Once we get started please feel free to give yourself an
in-character name and title.

Regards,

- Erik

Thank you for receiving me today Leader of the High Council; My advice to you on the matter of dealing with our pirate scourge is to pay for their protection, for now, until we can rebuild our gas mining stations and get our flow of Caslon back. I would next place all scientific resources into the Hygrogen reactor project so that we will not depend totally on Caslon. My next suggestion would be to improve the Utopian Fleet by adding an energy collector to the Frigate design with an additional reactor, then add an additional reactor to our Destroyer design. This will keep their shields up quicker and allow all weapons to fire fully. I would next suggest we find the Zenox homeworld quickly and send our most attractive ambassador to greet them with friendship. Then we could get a fuel arrangement with them.

I hope these ideas meet with your approval.

Your humble servant; Fishers of Men

Nice advice there, thank you all. I'm learning a lot already and we haven't really begun properly yet. [:D]

Episode 2: Spice Trade

Watch the video.

Three long years have passed and we, your humble servants, are happy to report to you, the Leentaar Council of Elders, that many of your objectives have been actioned. But unfortunately not all of them yet. And we have some surprisingly good news but I'll leave that to the report to explain.

We have now found other empires and it is our belief that peaceful co-habitation is a very real possibility.

Our fuel crisis still exists but some freighters are getting through to Leentaar 1, our home world.

Your esteemed advice and direction is requested once again:

1. To whom do we open the spice trade? Potential enemy, or potential friend?

2. Is our Ambassador, Janasia Okkoros, best served working with our new friends, the Zenox? Or would she be best used elsewhere?

3. Our Intelligence Agent, Kevian Zoberia, is currently employed at home. Should she be given field assignments?

4. Our Colony Governors are currently employed on our large worlds. Is this the best place for them?

If you want other items to be considered, please add them to our agenda.

OK. Video uploaded. (I fell a sleep).

Having seen the latest report presented before the Council I find it quite obvious that the Boskarans are a threat to our very way of life and should be considered an enemy, trading our most important resource to them is out of the question and our agents should remain at home protecting us from any Boskaran infiltrators.

Instead we should focus on bringing our friends even closer, giving them access to our spice will ensure lucrative trade treaties and if Janasia can arrange a Mutual Defense treaty as well with the Zenox then good, if not perhaps she'd be better placed with our natural allies the Shandar for now.

As to the Governors, it would be easier if the report had included what their strengths and weakness were, but if they increase our happiness our income without obvious drawbacks they are well placed as it is.

Nice trick with the zooming by the way.

ORIGINAL: Seraphim
As to the Governors, it would be easier if the report had included what their strengths and weakness were, but if they increase our happiness our income without obvious drawbacks they are well placed as it is.

Amendment to the report...
The Governors details are:

Colony Governor Peet Obarria: on Leentaar 1: Pacifist: Colony income +6%; Troop recruit -10%; Military ship construction -10%; Colony happiness +10%

Colony Governor Peet Ikkuros: on Secura 4: Skills and traits as yet unknown.

Reviewing this amendment perhaps we should consider swapping places on those two governors, I'd assume we are using Leentaar 1 as our primary construction facility and with the resource shortages becoming less of a concern a strong navy to ensure peace would not be amiss.

Esteemed Elders, viewing the recent information from our colleagues, I would recommend the following course of action.

Our relations with the Zenox are going well and we should continue to build that relationship, showing them the wonders of Securan friendship to reinforce the path of galactic harmony. They are more skilled in the ways of war than we are and have mastered shield technologies that are beyond our understanding. I believe our goal should be to expand our trade with them and convince them that our security is their interest as well. Let us keep our Ambassador with the Zenox and send them gifts and encouragements to form a Mutual Defense Pact. This will increase our trade, further alleviate our resource shortages and give us a powerful ally in a possible conflict with the Boskarans.

We should trade our Spice with the Zenox to further this relationship, but as there is not a great deal of Spice as yet, we should not yet share it with others until the Zenox are our full allies. Seeking refueling and mining rights with the Zenox as early as possible would also help our trade.

The Shandar are natural friends and we should try to increase our relationship with them through gifts and trade while we complete our alliance with the Zenox. Once we have both the Shandar and Zenox as full allies, the somewhat less peaceful Ugnari who are closest to the Boskara may look on joining our alliance more favorably.

We should build a Space Port to protect the Spice and help us transfer it to freighters more quickly.

The Pirates are an easily bought mercenary force for us. Until we are more directly threatened, continued alliances with the pirates should keep our expanding mining bases and colonies safe. We should eventually build a fleet as well, but only once we have used our limited resources to build enough mining stations and space ports to support it.

If one of our governors proves adept at increasing our rate of reproduction, she should be sent to the Spice colony. Otherwise, we should keep them at our more established colonies where they will likely have a greater effect.

I must express disappointment that our path to Fusion has not been more vigorously pursued. [;)] I would recommend the construction of the largest Energy Research Base possible, with extra labs if our construction technology allows and at the most advantageous location. That should allow us to use the much more plentiful Hydrogen as a fuel sooner.

We should also build a High Tech Research Base as soon as possible so that we can research better facilities for our trade, happiness, harmony and health care.

I would not bother researching those Weapons much at all. If we have need of them, we can trade for them with the Zenox or Ugnari.

Esteemed Elders,
I am newly promoted to this august circle of advisors, so I will keep my comments brief. Maybe in time I will attempt to match my more experienced and senior colleagues with a greater flow of words, but for now conciseness will have to do.

I am in agreement that any trade with the Boskarans would be a serious error in judgement. They are a corrosive species who only delight in cruelty and conquest. The Zenox, on the other hand, are vital to our wellbeing and we should take every effort to nurturing this relationship as much as possible. Give them the Spice. The Shandars might be given the Spice, but in time. For now, the Zenox must take precedence.

Also, I have nothing but good words for Governor Obarria, but she is not the best leader when it comes to handling the more unpleasant aspects of government. It would be better for all if Obarria were reassigned to a colony that wasn't so important for our military. In fact, I've no doubt the Governor could do good things on Kobbaria until we have someone more qualified for such an important post.

Finally, I am in agreement that we should strive to find the means to free our people from this dependence on Caslon. It may be a long preparation but the benefits would be twofold: dependence on a much more plentiful fuel and a more advanced engine. Perhaps we may even secure the aid of our Zenox allies should our ambassador inform them our interest in that technology. We are certainly not lacking in funds at the moment.

Happiness and health to all, my friends.

Hara Lemuno
 
"You know me, I am one of the first to abandon comfort for security and am willing to greet the boskarians with fire. Still I think we either open the spice trade to everyone and become a neutral trading power or at least send our envoy to the boskarians and tell them why we don't do it. Let it be said, that we will trade it with them, when they stop to enslave other people. I guess that meets approval? *glares through the council meeting*"

Excellent videos, just watching the second one now [8D]

Big question for you!  I see you have the windows cursor when you are playing and not the DW cursors.  Since original DW until now my cursor is buggy switching between DW and windows cursors constantly, how did you disable the DW cursor and just get the windows cursor?  That would help me a lot, I really would like to just use the windows cursors instead of the constant swtiching between the two styles.

Hi Woodman,

Can you post that in the tech support forum please?

Regards,

- Erik