Posted November 23, 2015
Readers of my previous forums will know I always play at Transcend level, quitting if I'm getting badly beat before I develop air units at which point I USUALLY can win. One notable exception was up against a very large Sister Miriam force when she Planet Bustered me into defeat.
However I've just been out manoeuvred by the computer stealing EXACTLY my tactics. At the start there was me (University), Yang, Svensgard, Lal, the Free Drones, the Consciousness and someone else who clearly hit the dirt quickly.
It was an aggressive Yang on my border (one thin sliver of what was otherwise a very large island of which I had sole occupation). I had friendly (albeit strained) relations with most of the other factions. Eventually I got the better of Yang, bizarrely aided by the Free Drones who although only on a truce with me kept giving me their troops which they kept moving onto my newly conquered territory.
By the time I finished off Yang and got my satellites up the Free Drones had conquered everybody else but Svensgard. I was about 50% less in population than the Drones, a fact I was able to overcome by getting Planetary Governor via the Empath Guild. I also got The Hunter Seeker Algorithm so could run knowledge in safety.
Then things started to go wrong. Svensgard backed the Free Drones for planetary Governor and they won.
Then a HUGE shock. I'd been comfortably out teching the Free Drones by dev in 6 to dev in 9 and using the cover of a peace treaty between us to payback the pirate (he had declared vendetta). Then suddenly the Free Drones went to out producing me on Tech - I'm still not sure how they did it. One moment they are miles behind, next they are out in front - and being Transcend level if they are generating more gross tech than me they are developing a LOT faster.
Then satellites. Usually I'm alone in space. Occasionally another faction will stick up a single satellite. But I usually have half a dozen or more food and energy satellites in place. THIS time the Free Drones ended up matching me satellite for satellite.
Then disaster. They got the Cloning Vats before I even developed the Tech. Now I couldn't outgrow them no matter how quickly my Locusts and helicopters were taking out Svensgard's bases.
Worse followed. Communications went down and enabled Domai to get the Network Backbone before I even was aware he was making it. That was my chance at redemption.
Now he's attacked me with Power 30 units against MY Power 20. I'd even contemplated using my sole Planetbuster (he still had an ally, I was at vendetta with all) putting it position the turn he launched his first orbital defence pod.
I was shocked. By this stage I'm usually mopping up but now I'm up against a larger enemy, better tech, and well over 80% of Secret Projects. And I can't even PlanetBuster my way out.
I think my only way out will be to fight dirty. Genetic warfare, nerve gas pods, and a battery of Planetbusters ready at the first solar storm. But I don't think I will win.
But has anyone else ever seen the A.I. play the smart long game ? I haven't been so shocked since being taunted post death by a Bot in Mann Versus Machine on TF 2
S.x.
However I've just been out manoeuvred by the computer stealing EXACTLY my tactics. At the start there was me (University), Yang, Svensgard, Lal, the Free Drones, the Consciousness and someone else who clearly hit the dirt quickly.
It was an aggressive Yang on my border (one thin sliver of what was otherwise a very large island of which I had sole occupation). I had friendly (albeit strained) relations with most of the other factions. Eventually I got the better of Yang, bizarrely aided by the Free Drones who although only on a truce with me kept giving me their troops which they kept moving onto my newly conquered territory.
By the time I finished off Yang and got my satellites up the Free Drones had conquered everybody else but Svensgard. I was about 50% less in population than the Drones, a fact I was able to overcome by getting Planetary Governor via the Empath Guild. I also got The Hunter Seeker Algorithm so could run knowledge in safety.
Then things started to go wrong. Svensgard backed the Free Drones for planetary Governor and they won.
Then a HUGE shock. I'd been comfortably out teching the Free Drones by dev in 6 to dev in 9 and using the cover of a peace treaty between us to payback the pirate (he had declared vendetta). Then suddenly the Free Drones went to out producing me on Tech - I'm still not sure how they did it. One moment they are miles behind, next they are out in front - and being Transcend level if they are generating more gross tech than me they are developing a LOT faster.
Then satellites. Usually I'm alone in space. Occasionally another faction will stick up a single satellite. But I usually have half a dozen or more food and energy satellites in place. THIS time the Free Drones ended up matching me satellite for satellite.
Then disaster. They got the Cloning Vats before I even developed the Tech. Now I couldn't outgrow them no matter how quickly my Locusts and helicopters were taking out Svensgard's bases.
Worse followed. Communications went down and enabled Domai to get the Network Backbone before I even was aware he was making it. That was my chance at redemption.
Now he's attacked me with Power 30 units against MY Power 20. I'd even contemplated using my sole Planetbuster (he still had an ally, I was at vendetta with all) putting it position the turn he launched his first orbital defence pod.
I was shocked. By this stage I'm usually mopping up but now I'm up against a larger enemy, better tech, and well over 80% of Secret Projects. And I can't even PlanetBuster my way out.
I think my only way out will be to fight dirty. Genetic warfare, nerve gas pods, and a battery of Planetbusters ready at the first solar storm. But I don't think I will win.
But has anyone else ever seen the A.I. play the smart long game ? I haven't been so shocked since being taunted post death by a Bot in Mann Versus Machine on TF 2
S.x.
