• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

Nikolai

Basileus Romaion
78 Badges
Jun 17, 2001
23.611
8.700
  • Europa Universalis IV: Pre-order
  • Europa Universalis: Rome
  • Semper Fi
  • Sengoku
  • Supreme Ruler: Cold War
  • Victoria 2
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Rome: Vae Victis
  • 500k Club
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Crusader Kings II: Holy Knight (pre-order)
  • Europa Universalis III: Collection
  • Victoria: Revolutions
  • Europa Universalis: Rome Collectors Edition
  • Mount & Blade: Warband
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Stellaris
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Hearts of Iron IV Sign-up
  • Stellaris Sign-up
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Cadet
  • Victoria 3 Sign Up
  • Divine Wind
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne
  • Crusader Kings II: Legacy of Rome
  • Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods
  • Crusader Kings II: The Republic
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
  • Darkest Hour
  • Deus Vult
  • Europa Universalis III
  • Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Hearts of Iron II: Armageddon
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise
  • Europa Universalis IV: Call to arms event
  • For The Glory
  • For the Motherland
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Heir to the Throne
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Magicka
  • March of the Eagles
So I started a new game as a species of robots. First time I play as non meatbags. :) So this is completely new for me, and I’ll probably play badly. We’ll see, in any case I plan to chronicle my journey in a gameplay AAR this time. :)


Settings:

2.0.2 beta

Large four spiral arm galaxy

Ensign difficulity

Low AI aggressiveness

Random empire placement

No advanced neighbours

12 AI empires

No advanced starts

No Fallen Empires

2 Marauder Empires

1x tech costs

1.25x habitable worlds

2x primitives

No crisis

Mid-Game start year 2375

1x hyperlane density

1x gateways

1x wormholes


Starting species:
XbYAtie.png


OTA Updates: -20% edict cost

Rapid replicator: +20% robot build speed

Gestalt Conciousness: -20% WE gain, -33% piracy risk, +1 monthly influence, +2 core systems.

Power drills: +10% minerals

Bulky: +50% resettlement cost

Superconductive: +10% energy
 
Chapter 1
The game starts…….poorly. I meet marauders in one end of my empire, and a hostile spiritualist empire in the other. Sixteen years in, I’m boxed in. I own nine systems and can only expand into two more before meeting up with the marauders. :eek:

uekhVlc.png


I own three colonies, my capital planet of size 17 – which is by now almost full. My first colony, Extrema, of size 23, which is still barely starting. And Decimal, the currently being colonized third planet.


Down towards the marauders there is two planets, size 12 and 14. Bordering the spiritualists, there is a size 17 and size 16 planet under my control, but not colonized yet.


Fleet is small, 261 strength, but keeping up with the spiritualists. Marauders I can forget to handle yet, so I will have to pay them off. As such my focus is on minerals and energy first – technology points second. Then I somehow need to manage to take out the spiritualists before it is too late!


This will be tricky…
 
Look on the bright side - the worst it can get is a two-front war ;):p:D
 
That's quite boxed in, but one war with the Spiritualists and that problem will be solved. Great to see another AAR of yours by the way, subbed!
 
Look on the bright side - the worst it can get is a two-front war ;):p:D
Ain't that the truth. :p

That's quite boxed in, but one war with the Spiritualists and that problem will be solved. Great to see another AAR of yours by the way, subbed!
Two souls, one thought. ;) And thanks!
 
Chapter 2
Thirty years later, things are finally going my way. The economy is slim, but I’ve managed to get destroyers and built up my fleet to 1.2k, dwarfing the spiritualist neighbours of mine.

gy7Q28v.png


OTOH, I was unable to pay off the Marauders a couple of year back, before they had crippled my capital system. Then I managed to pay them off, but lost half of my fleet before it could escape. :(

iuBtE5u.png


I have filled up my capital with robots, half of Extrema, got control of a species inside my borders who suddenly got FTL, and who became my underlings when I refused to give them control of their system. Automagically. A bit too easy perhaps, but I don’t complain. ;) Decimal is one fourth filled. Factor has one pop, Maxima two… I’ve been strengthening my borders with starbases. If I had the economy, I could almost triple my navy. But for now I am strong enough to take on the spiritualists, and when I reach 1.5k fleet strength, I’ll take my chances. :)
 
Once more into space my servitors, once more
Or fill the vacuum up with our circuitry!
In peace there is nothing so becomes a machine as well ordered routine
But when the klaxons sends shivers through our wires
Then inimate the stance of a supernova
Harden the boards, summon excess energy
Disguise pleasing operability with joyous entropy...
 
You need to break the Spiritualists ASAP to grow in strength and face the Marauders and to increase your economy. It'll be hard but not impossible.
 
Once more into space my servitors, once more
Or fill the vacuum up with our circuitry!
In peace there is nothing so becomes a machine as well ordered routine
But when the klaxons sends shivers through our wires
Then inimate the stance of a supernova
Harden the boards, summon excess energy
Disguise pleasing operability with joyous entropy...
Haha, I like it. :D

You need to break the Spiritualists ASAP to grow in strength and face the Marauders and to increase your economy. It'll be hard but not impossible.
I needed to, indeed. Thankfully they proved weak. My economy is weaker still though. After the next chapter it's time for some economy 101.
 
Chapter 3
As we enter the 2250s, it’s time for war! Our fleet has reached 1.5k strength and the spiritualists are only expanding their territory, not their fleet. We demand their submission, and they refuse. This means we can declare war. I don’t know the difference between vassalization and tributary, but I want to annex them later on, and vassalization sounds better for that anyhow…

I wait a couple months for them to invade, but they don’t, so I go on the offensive. First two systems fall like nothing, then I get between their only – it seems – fleet and a starbase. I lose half my strength, but win. But by this time I have plenty of minerals, so I retreat for a few months and come back with a 1.7k fleet! ;) Soon I control almost all of their systems, but there’s still some resistance to peace under my terms, so I quickly build some troops and invade their capital. That did it, and we’re at peace. Look at that, just look at that:
EHQUzwC.png

2T5waEj.png

The poor things will serve me for a decade, then be integrated. At that point they will be purged. My other species under my control proved to me there’s no worth in meatbags. They give only 1 energy per pop connected to the hub, no matter what building is on the tile. And a robot can get more energy than that…

But now I need to fix my economy. I earn a pitiful +9 minerals per month and -18 energy with my fleet engaged, and that just don’t do it. Time to build up those planets until I am ready to integrate my new subjects…
 
Congratulations, that is one more (Spiritualist) Xeno scum less in the galaxy :D! Now onto way more Empires to fall, the rise of the Machine will be unstoppable from now on ;).
 
Congratulations, that is one more (Spiritualist) Xeno scum less in the galaxy :D! Now onto way more Empires to fall, the rise of the Machine will be unstoppable from now on ;).
Thanks :D
I struggle with the economy. Went from +100 energy to -60 or so. No idea why. I suspect my massive robot building is costing me energy even before they go operational?
 
I suspect my massive robot building is costing me energy even before they go operational?
I don't think building robots costs energy while building them, I never had problems with energy DURING building robot pops so it could be I just never realised. Maybe you forgot an edict that has timed out?
 
Excellent overcoming the spiritualists. And now the way for further opportunties is open.
 
I don't think building robots costs energy while building them, I never had problems with energy DURING building robot pops so it could be I just never realised. Maybe you forgot an edict that has timed out?
You were right. It was the edicts timing out. Thank! :)
They for one should welcome their new robot overlords. No? Too bad for them then.
PURGE! :D
Excellent overcoming the spiritualists. And now the way for further opportunties is open.
Yes. :) The plan and current situation is coming in the next chapter in a couple minutes. :)
 
Chapter 4
By 2278, the integration of the spiritualists are complete, and the entirety of their former empire is made into a sector; the Fara Sector. At first, we try to keep the spiritualists alive as energy producers, they produce 5 energy each, and we have four planets almost filled with them. Our economy need servants like this! Unfortunately, soon one of the planets rebel, and after reconquering them, all planets’ inhabitants produce between 0 and 1 energy. This cannot be and be purge them all! To be replaced by well-behaved robots…

vGhuy8z.png


Sx3lFdS.png


We also build up our fleet, almost doubling it, and also go on a building spree – both new robots and building pops up.

This is how the planets and sectors looked in 2278:

VJ5VIAF.png


cv8qtJg.png


And this is the situation in 2292:

lvzvcCt.png


N8a9tsV.png



The reason for the big fall in energy in Fara Sector is that we purged all the meatbags and while all planets are filled with robots being in production, most is not yet finished produced.

After the annexation of the spiritualists, we have met a lot of new species, most who hate us:

6EzvFZw.png


w5ZTYqO.png


We have not expanded much the last 1.5 decade, as we’ve focused on filling in our planets and build a stronger fleet. We are now slowly moving towards our galactic neighbours to the north-west. The Oklar Prime have inferior fleet power and naval capacity, but a superior tech level. The Hiffnar has a pathetic fleet power but equivalent naval capacity and tech level.

Our plan is to eventually vassalize them, but just this year we got the ability to build habitats! The plan is to build 2-3 of them while slowly moving towards our enemies, get a real surplus of resources, and then strike.

zK2Tjjj.png
 
Looks like you are virtually boxed in again.

As I don't have Apocalypse yet I don't have a good feel on Marauders - when do you think you will be able to remove that blockage from your Empire's expansion?
 
Looks like you are virtually boxed in again.

As I don't have Apocalypse yet I don't have a good feel on Marauders - when do you think you will be able to remove that blockage from your Empire's expansion?
My fleet is at this point 4.5k IIRC(I have played on slightly). Their home system have several 3k fleets and one 10k fleet. I'd say not in a long time yet.
 
Unfortunately, soon one of the planets rebel
I have yet to experience a single rebellion, how long did it take for it to happen?

Our plan is to eventually vassalize them, but just this year we got the ability to build habitats!
You really seem fond of Habitats, don't you ;)?