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AAR #2. Tall Inc

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FinellyTrained

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May 31, 2019
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  • Stellaris: Synthetic Dawn
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25-31 May, 2019

Aim: try harder difficulty for megacorp. Set tech complexity to 1.5 and don't take ecumenopoli perk, guardian of the galaxy perk.

As usual crisis strength x5. AI starts 15, all advanced. Grand Admiral, no scaling, AI aggressiveness normal.

Stellaris version 2.2.
 
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1. Settings
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2. Starting point is 12 o'clock midway between the core and the rim. Don't forget Map the Stars, nutritional plentitude, clearing slums for extra pop, farming district to get 1k for encourage growth.
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3. First contact
SE. Another Megacorp. So, useless for branch offices. Fanatic Militarist, so inclined to wage wars and specifically opposite to my pacifists. Need a choke and a defended one. Authoritarian trait also doesn't make them any friendlier. :)
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4. Selling stuff to get credits for scientists/ships.
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5. Second contact
NW. Criminal syndicate. So, useless again. Fanatic spiritualist. Hmm. And of course authoritarian. 500 consumer goods bring their opinion up by +63, which is just enough to enter a research agreement. AIs are set to an advanced start and my research is not rushing anywhere. So, it is both a little boost to research and a way to improve relations with a neighbour. :)
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6. 25 years in. Naming system in this game requires planets in core sector be L#. Systems with planets are renamed to planets' names.
SE choke in Niamba blocks Ekwynians (and builds platforms probably). Guys to the east are nicer than the first two contacts and have a path to me in the north (not shown). There is like 20 stars there, which I can take between them and Criminal Syndicate to the west, but I will let them meet each other and build some border friction instead of building it myself. Guys in the west (Cipux) are some militarists (will check later). Another dangerous neighbour. So, with 4 neighbours to SE, N, NW and W we have 4 close neighbours this game.
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7. Let's try donating some per month minerals to Ekwinians (SE). This should be an incentive for them to keep the peace to keep receiving them, right?
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8. 2231. We've got brainslugs. :) Also research isn't going anywhere. This should be fun. :)
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9. By good word and a gun you can get more, than by just a good word (the gun being fortress on the border). Commercial pact not only makes some credits but also builds trust. Trust is vital to keep the peace. :)
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10. 2238. First branch office for NE neighbours. It barely makes sense with its 2 sprawl and 12 creds, couple of energy districts would make more, but it's a tough competition, baby, we need to boldly conquer new markets before AI would consider them profitable. :)
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11. 2240. Expansion -> Discovery. First perk Universal Transactions. 2241. Nation of Ymoria (galaxy rim at 3 o'clock), since we have free res to spare, befriending them outright and get a commercial pact.
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12. 2244. Blocked Ekwynians in SE, let Syndicate meet Khell'Zen in the north, systems with monsters would provide blocking for quite some time, so we will keep them. Raced Dima'Xanians in the west to the chokepoint and won. Notice a long stretch of noman's land in the west going all the way down to the galaxy core. Also, 11 science ships. We got money, we're hiring. No research :)
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13. 2248. NE quadrant of the galaxy. Some Prikki-Ti have spawned and of course intend to kill us all. Cools behind Ekwinians are a Megacorp with some nice attitude, also in union with Ymoria, so I hope Ekwynians would pick fight with them over fighting me. :) Also civilian ships 21 means 19 science ships.
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14. 2252. We are finally pushing some research.
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15. 2253. Galaxy view. The actors at play so far. 12 o'clock midway is Tall Inc, i.e. us. SE of it - Ekwynian Industries (Megacorp), NE - Kell'Zen, NW - Criminal Syndicate, W - some tough guys.
9 o'clock (violet) is Synthoid Network (Machine Intelligence), 4 o'clock (pink) - another ME. 10 o'clock on the rim are some nobodies, who will get back later to.
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16. SW quadrant. We found United Nations (some democratic egalitarians probably). And 2 of their neighbours: Qxnac'Vela and Erissu. Spoiler: it will be a busy quadrant.
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17. 2253. 2nd perk Technological Ascendancy (no pic).


18. 2256. Terrafoming started on first planet (no pic).


19. 2258. Probably every empire in the galaxy is stronger than us.
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20. 2265. 2nd planet (L4) went into terraforming in 2261.
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21. 2284. All (almost) actors on stage. Pretty much all of them were covered already.
At 6 o'clock there is another Megacorp (orange) they will ally with guys N of them (green) and (spoiler) do nothing for the rest of the game.
Hard to spot are FEs. Materialist one is 10 o'clock near core. And I totally intend to capture their homeworld ecumenopolis. Xenofilic FE is 7 o'clock near core. Where others are I have no idea. :)
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22. 2286. One of those oh, shi... moments. Synthoid Network (ME) federated with Dima'Xanian Interstellar Autocracy. We've just got the strongest federation on our west border and it's not a pretty one. Naturally it warrants immediate action on diplomatic front. Association status at once!
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23. 2287. Ekwynians (SE) offered to "stand together against our enemies". No, thanks. I am not even sure what this offer means. (no pic)


24. 2288. Cools (SE behind Ekwynians) offered to "dominate the market". No, thanks. These guys' fleet power is Inferior to mine. And since I have almost none, it would not make for much of domination. :)


25. 2288. In an outburst of inspiration we've decided to actually buy Active Sensor Link for 30 years from Synthoid Network with some nice bonus to opinion.
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26. 2288. Cools federated with Khell'Zen (our neighbour to NE). Since Khell'Zen are equivalent to us in every aspect of power, we would pass on joining this federation too.


27. 2290. North part of the galaxy. Not much has changed you see. We found some marauders to the south blocking Ekwynians from advancing west. We've got a base nearby. In SW corner we have two exclaves. Probably one planet suitable for colonisation and something valuable like Living metal.
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28. 2305. Capital finally doing some noticeable research.
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29. 2306. This! This demonstrates the reason Kettling were added in the game. :) It is for Megacorp to immediately sign a commercial pact with them and get 5 branch offices. Over 40 creds on average. Compare to what empires existing for a hundred years provide. And always remember to watch out for Kettlings, when playing Megacorp. :)
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30. 2315. Core. Habitat is going to do some consumer goods.
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31. 2317. Reforming government.
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32. 2322. A lot of empires are no longer overwhelming to us.
Also a bit of politics for you. Erissu have been vassilised by Quntos and they both are pressing on United Nations (who live at 7 o'clock on the rim as you remember). Quntos are also bordering Synthoid Network. And we are rivalling Quntos for a bit of influence and to improve relations with SN. I really fear their federation with Dima'Xanians (see the pic).
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33. 2324. Cools have built the first gateway in the galaxy (no pic). Zero Point Reactor tech is being researched (37 months, no pic). 2331. Mega-engineering research underway (no pic).


34. 2337. Great Khan is born next to us. Also, 20 branch offices. Unith Starbase, deep in the south, with 20k power is able to hold for quite some time alone, then with support of 80 corvette fleet, then with mercenaries hired from other marauders, but eventually falls when Great Khan comes himself (2343). Ekwynians submit in 2340 and come to Unith in 2341.
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35. 2345. Ekwynian Auxillaries come all the way north to Pulcor, destroying the chokepoint there. We are facing a prospect of invasion to the core. Hopefully Khan will be more interested in closer targets in the west: Dima'Xanians and materialist FE.
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36. 2348. Lightning in a bottle moment. Our fanatic militarist xenophobic neighbours federated with ME invite us, a fanatic xenophillic pacifistic Megacorp into their federation.
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37. 2354. Great Khanate at its height.
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38. 2355. We voted United Earth to into our federation almost immediately. The galaxy's most powerful federation has been formed. Also we got on the Equivalent level with most of the empires. War that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.
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39. Matter decompressor construction begins in 2358.


40. 2359. The tide has been turned in the west, but Ekwynian Auxillaries perfom the most unexpected attack ever going for Niamba (SE) chokepoint all the way from Pulcar (west chokepoint) circumventing Ebbanaur and the coreworlds. I think horde fleet comes to attack Niamba from the south then. Niamba Starfortress manages to wipe most of the fleet, ultimately falls to galleon, but buys enough time for Classis I fleet to reinforce after fight with Auxillaries and reach it. System and newly rebuilt fortress there get a new well-deserved name of Ekwynian Graveyard.
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41. Khan died somewhere in 2360. He lived long enough to see his lifework fail. And New Yalon Khanate has been formed, but nobody really cares anymore.


42. 2373. L-Cluster has been opened by another empire. Our brave scientists arrived right on time to get Gray. A 10th level governor is pretty valuable addition to a tall build. And getting into L-Cluster when somebody else opens it is not a big deal, since we have good relations with all powerful empires and a ton of science ships spread across the galaxy. :)
It was a simple grab as much as you can kinda move, but this is actually the second lightning in a bottle moment in this game. That Endirlang system that is being shown a starbase to be built has become vital (spoiler) during the crisis.
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43. 2379. Empire sprawl is killing me.
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44. 2381. FE can be bribed too.
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45. 2386. Is this a bug or WAD I have no idea, but exactly 100 years after federation has been formed Tall Inc becomes its new leader. And gets control over federation fleets.
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46. 2391. Remember those Quntos guys? They had a vassal and were fighting with UN and bordering our ME so we rivaled them to improve relations? I think we fought 3 (at least) consecutive wars with them.
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47. 2392. We are not called Megacorp for nothing, we know when to buy and when to sell stuff. Also, our xenophilic faction are very satisfied.
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48. 2394. Fex'Klanga Conservers (FE we bribed, [44]) have opened borders. Man these guys have a reaction lag.


49. 2397. Remember "busy quadrant". This is 7 o'clock rim UN-Erissu border. Humans have already lost their coreworlds. But with our ME maniacally calling to war with Quntos on every occasion (Delenda Quntos!), humans would actually become the primary beneficiaries of these never-ending campaigns.
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50. 2400. Diplomatic view. You should be pretty familiar with everything by now. :)
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51. 2401. A system blocked by materialist FE, which we bribed into opening borders. Will be renamed Backdoor (appropriately) and have 3 colonies. Ideal starting point of an attack intended to capture ecumenopolis.
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52. 2420. Nexus brain upload chain started.


53. 2422. Kroll FE awakens (one near core at 7 o'clock). Xenophilies.


54. 2427. Stats are rising, though we are like 80 years behind schedule. Ah, and the sprawl is killing me.
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55. 2428. 1st ring segment starting to fill.


56. 2431. We going to war against Prikki-Ti. Some words shielded. Quick capture/vassalisation of mostly unimportant region.
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57. 2433. Democratic elections are democratic.
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58. 2433. Stellaris looks pretty good. If only it wasn't spoiled by hideous unit labels. :) Like seriously, how hard is to predict that somebody changing view of the system to up close and POV to system plane will not actually care at all about what is what...
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59. 2435. Typical habitat template. Habitats are mostly industries or foundries. Also that Gray is psychic and it looks good.
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60. 2438. Opinion mode
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61. 2440. Kroll Arbitrators declare war on Fex'Klanga Conservers, i.e. awakened FE vassalises materialist FE and we lost the prospect of capturing that ecu. Oh, well, guess it's a full scale hard game then. Our backdoor actually provided gate for Arbitrators, so it might have not been a great plan.


62. 2456. Unbidden arrive. The position of the portal is perfect. 4 o'clock on the rim. They'll never reach our territory. The whole federation is on the other side of the galaxy, though L-Gates would allow unbidden to cause problems for ME member, but access to L-gates splits unbidden efforts between expanding around all L-gates.
Screenshot of 2457, when their initial fleets have arrived. Markab completely blocks the portal. Quite often unbidden have 3 exits from portal. And usually no less than 2. If we had the strength to take out 5 mil fleet, it could have ended now. But we don't. Feet strength according to federation screen in 2458 is 779k.
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63. In 2466 materialist FE awakenes to become guardians. Since they are already a vassal under Krolls, it is just adding insult to injury.


64. 2500. It was a very-very long war. Ofc, everybody in the galaxy degraded to be on pathetic level, but it is of little consolation, when all we can do is jump to some gate, raid some anchors and retreat to rebuild. Economic levels are laughable for 2500. Still, we are not dead yet. Also, United Nations of Earth, who we fought many wars for turned to be the 2nd most powerful economy with 2.2k population. And those branch offices providing income, amenities and naval capacity help a lot, as well as the steady flow of federation corvettes.
Unbidden anchors count reached 103 by 2500, if they get to 150 there will be two more factions of them, which would probably lag the game to death. So we don't want that.
Fleet power 1.2mil. Admin Efficiency is being researched to lvl 34, shields to lvl 27, explosives are at level 8 (presumably).
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65. 2503. Federal fleet is the workhorse of this war. And marauder corvettes as the only type of ships. Ideal for fast hit-and-run tactics, cheap to rebuild, powerful, battle practically lasts only as long as they need to close distance.
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66. 2503. Also in 2503 admin capacity (645) finally becomes greater than empire sprawl (638).


67. We embraced the worm somewhere in 2536.


68. 2551. Did I say it dragged? Typical raiding operation illustration: we jump to Nijil, we clear five systems and use gate at Braddam to reinforce.
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69. 2563. Unbidden still have 101 anchors.


70. 2573. The last ascension perk is Transcendence.
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71. 2575. The guys who invited me in federation have for some reason left it. Its their splinter group, doesn't matter in the slightest. Dima'Xanians indeed left the federation, but it was much later.
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72. 2580. Markab is taken and portal is blocked (first attempts were made a hundred years ago). Admiral Shroom leads the charge. Unbidden have 89 anchors, but it doesn't matter anymore, half the fleets blocking and another half is perfectly capable of clearing the map.
Some numbers to be noted. In several games later, well at least my games, that tend to be made intentionally difficult with things like settings and avoiding Defender of the Galaxy perk, I see about the same numbers, that indicate the ability to handle unbidden:
- population >3k
- naval capacity >1.5k
- alloys net >2k
- around 10 fleets of 300k power.
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73. 2591. Anchors down to 47.


74. 2596. Anchors down to 19.


75. 2598. The first time I noticed AI attacking Unbidden with anything significant. 200k fleet. So sweet.
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76. 2599. Galaxy survived. Mostly. Empty zones indicate places where unbidden were expanding out of L-gates. 66 branch offices btw.
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77. 2604. The end
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Lessons learnt: to be summarised.
 
AAR #2 complete.
 
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