The Rising Ape (Third Time's the Charm) - A Stellaris LP Blog

[Beth Pavell]

I never quite expected to try this three times. This time I decided to skip the exploration phase entirely - yes, there is a story to be had in that, but I found that noting down what was happening with the Anomalies, etc, was really slowing me down, and I ended up with more than I ever intended to adapt into a simple blog.

Rules are the same this time round:

1. All game decisions have to be made with roleplay in mind - the point is to build a story with the game.
2. Maximum of 2 hours game play in any one day.
3. Ironman Mode is mandatory: no cheating through saves allowed.

I'm playing using the following DLC: Utopia, Apocalypse, MegaCorp, Federations, Leviathans, Distant Stars, Ancient Relics

First principles! I will be playing as the human Commonwealth of Earth. The conceit is that Earth is now a unified planet ruled by a parliament of the nations. The human race, reaching for the stars, is convinced of its own superiority and sense of manifest destiny.

In-game, the Commonwealth is a Citizen Republic: a Democracy with the Parliamentary System and Citizen Service civics, and Xenophone, Militarist, and Spiritualist as ethics.

Commentary
I've ended up as a somewhat smaller Empire this time round. The immediate galactic neighbourhood isn't crowded, per se, but there is generally less breathing room than I've had in a lot of games. My neighbours are somewhat balanced. The Gargaxton Sovereignty were my first contact and have been stubbornly aggressive from day one. Likewise the Glirr Directorate have been constantly unfriendly. On the other hand I have managed to forge Defensive Pacts with both the Othethi Grand Duchy and the Yl'Khahan Tribunal, so my position is actually quite strong.

Having relatively few systems has been a mixed blessing, or mixed problem, depending upon how you look at it. Obviously resources are constantly at a premium. I've not ever had much money in the bank, and at times even Minerals have been in short supply. But then, the admin burden is low, and the concentration of systems also means it's been easier to plan defences. Two main starbases have been enough to act as defences for both the Gargaxton border and the Glirr.

This Empire is turning out to be less politically stable. No one party is particularly dominant. For some reason a Xenophile party spawned, who more or less hate all my policies, so Influence more than any other resource has constantly been scarce. Spending most of the budget on diplomatic agreements doesn't help, admittedly. The nature of a Democratic authority is that you make the best of whatever the elections deal you. I could have done without an inexperienced army officer being elected to the Chancellorship. But what the hell. at least for the length of the term I'll be able to build Corvettes more cheaply.

The priority at the moment is to make the most out of the space I have. I've been prioritising technologies that give bonuses to production - particularly research stations - and making use of the low admin burden to colonise any likely planet within reach.

 

[Beth Pavell]

On 26th August 2202, the Commonwealth science vessel CNS Torch was destroyed with all hands by unknown assailants. The attackers were later discovered to be the Gargaxton Sovereignty, a highly militaristic race of reptilians, the last remnants of a once-great empire. In spite of the cries for vengeance echoing around parliament, Chancellor Li consistently refused declaration of war, a stance copied by his successor, Pierre LeGall. More than fifty years later, Chancellor Huang finally declared war, in revenge for that nascent atrocity.

Yu Huang had formerly been appointed Consul of the 1st Crusade Army, before her election to the Chancellership in 2253. As leader of the Military Officer's Association, her power base lay largely in the Navy, an institution yet to prove itself in a true conflict. Declaration of war saw the 1st Fleet under Admiral Angela di Savoia sail against the Sovereignty, while the 2nd Fleet was obliged to remain at anchor at Kar Duniash station. Savoia, ironically, led the Alien Compassion Alliance, a fringe party agitating for better human-xeno relations. Nevertheless, her professionalism was proven at the Battle of Tar Valemm, when she engaged the Sovereignty Kri-Kri Armada, led by the aggressive xeno Admiral Schmoo Schnapp. 16 Commonwealth corvettes and 5 Gyrfalcon-class destroyers engaged a total of 31 Gargaxton corvettes, of which 13 were subsequently destroyed.

A peace treaty was signed in 2261, whereby the Gargaxton territories were partitioned, and a new, pro-Commonwealth government installed as the Gargaxton Citizen State.

In spite of this decisive victory, Chancellor Huang was ousted in the 2264 elections as Hildegard Grasser's party took control of Parliament. Desiring a clean sweep, Chancellor Grasser installed the intellectual Luis Saldana as Lord President of the Council. Grasser's foreign policy took a markedly different path to that of Huang or even Li, breaking off trade agreements with the Yl'Khahan in favour of a much more lucrative pact with Mitron Star Corp. Trade subsequently flourished as Mitron began opening up branch offices on Earth, Alpha Centauri, and Sirius Magna.

Troubling news mars the general prosperity of Grasser's term. On the Spinward border comes news of savage war as the Glirr Directorate battle the genocidal Rak Rak Reavers. The defences at Kar Duniash are strengthened; the fleet is refitted. And in the scientific community, revived news of an old hypothesis circulates - the controversial Psionic Theory.

Commentary
Where did all their ships go?

I think the intel from my spies must have been wrong, because 1st Fleet was more than enough to overrun the Gargaxton heartland. The empire has loomed large in my thought since the beginning of the game. It seems, in light of this war, that they weren't quite as strong as I believed. In any case I don't regret my choice of a limited war to partition the cluster from the rest of the empire. The capital remains part of the Sovereignty, but the rest is now a friendly state and a buffer to keep their fleets out of my hair for a while. In due course I intend to take their homeworld - it's a relic world, and if I'm right, ripe for turning into a lucrative tech-world.

The real concern are the Rak Rak Reavers. They've been trying very hard to overrun the Glirr - counting their ships, they have at least equivalent fleet strength to my own. I have to say, the Glirr's tenacity impressed me. They just kept pounding away at the bloodthirsty maniacs, saving their population from genocide at least twice to my count.

Ironically, some apparently bad luck from several decades ago is coming in useful here. Way back in the second decade of the game, I'd made a mad rush to take the Irriamun system - home to a relic world with an archaeological site. As the map below shows, it's strategically awkward, being exposed to Spinward. The problem was, when the science team unearthed the relics buried beneath the crumbling cities, it awoke an murderous space dragon. Putting Irriamun out of my reach, but also creating an impassable system. Neither the Glirr nor the Rak Rak are any more able to get past that dragon than I am.

Kar Duniash is the lynchpin in the Spinward defences. I've been continually upgrading and strengthening the defences, with an emphasis on launch bays, since the Rak Rak are still obsessed with corvettes. I'm toying with the idea of building a dedicated destroyer squadron to operate out of the port - a formation to stay within one or two hyperlanes, to pre-emptively attack targets of opportunity.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Humanity continues to grow and spread amongst the stars, as the colonies of the Commonwealth begin to outgrow their tentative beginnings and mature into vibrant settlements. On the colonies of Muscadet and Astramar adverse planetary conditions stall economic growth, but a steady influx of immigrants from Earth and Alpha Centauri encourages the colonial administration to persevere. Growing colonies attract investment from Mitron Star Corp, which in turn drives interstellar trade. In Sol, the first orbital colonies are established above Venus and Saturn.

Relations with the Gargaxton Citizen State remain good, in spite of a diplomatic contretemps of 2275. Early 2276 sees the Commonwealth Navy on high alert as a fleet of Sirgogg corsairs passes Optera Dock. The following years remain tense until the corsairs eventually pass the Spinward border, later reported pillaging Rak Rak outposts.

Commentary
I suppose I've been more cautious this game. I was tempted to begin a war to vassalise the Gargaxton Sovereignty - but, wouldn't you know it, their neighbours have guaranteed their independence, something I wasn't informed about. The other option would be to vassalise the Glirr, thereby opening hostilities with the Sovereignty anyway. Neither option really appeals:

1. I don't know how strong the Sovereignty's combined allies are. For the sake of maybe a small income in tribute, it's a big risk to take should it backfire;
2. I'm reluctant to engage in a course of action that destroys the Glirr's fleet. The fact is the Glirr are more useful as a buffer state than as a vassal to please the Xenophobe faction.

I'm wondering if there's a third option. Perhaps it'll be possible to declare war on the Glirr, refuse to engage their fleets, and use the war exhaustion from fighting the Sovereignty to conclude the war. The fact is that if the Glirr are vassals, then in the event of war with the Rak Rak Reavers any territory I capture will be automatically handed over to the Glirr as vassals. Win-win - I do not want to administer any territory beyond Kar Duniash, but while fighting Fanatic Purifiers I wouldn't have a choice. This would at least allow me to weaken the Rak Rak without also having to somehow defend those awkward systems.

 

[Beth Pavell]

The Galactic Senate passed Resolution Comfort the Fallen in 2281, mandating increased rights for unemployed or dispossessed saphonts. The Resolution was strongly supported by the Commonwealth of Earth, the Parliament having passed a number of internal laws to a similar purpose. Job creation remains a priority as Sirius Magna, Muscadet, and Isis Orbital experience strong population growth.

Also in 2281, the Gargaxton Citizen State submit a formal request for the Commonwealth to accept the State as a protectorate. The request is swiftly accepted to the acclaim of Parliament.

Commentary
Distractions, distractions. I had to wait for cruisers. Then I had to dispatch 2nd Fleet to escort the colony ship in to Chandelier. Then I decided to build four cruisers before doing anything.

This is all in the name of being cautious. Ships aren't really getting any cheaper, though with the Supremacy Traditions on the horizon they will get cheaper to build and maintain soon. I'm not quite sure what fleets I'm likely to face. My intel suggests that most of the AI Empires are still using mostly corvette fleets, though some of them are fielding half as many destroyers as corvettes. The workhorse of my navy are the Merlin-class corvette and Gyrfalcon-class destroyer. Essentially designed for the same purpose, both have a balanced mix of lasers and railguns for just laying down damage. Significantly, both use Psionic Barriers rather than true shields - not hugely strong, but with no Power requirement it means I can use older reactors, for cheaper ships. The Merlins, especially, are much cheaper to build in an emergency.

The new cruisers are somewhat more specialised. Both 1st and 2nd Fleet have a Buzzard-class and Kite-class cruiser apiece. The Buzzard is a simple carrier with and emphasis on smaller guns. Strike craft win tactical victories against corvettes. Corvettes have a habit of disengaging when under attack from strike craft, which does lead to indecisive battles, but it's the best way of dealing with corvette swarms when you're hard-pressed. The Kite is intended to be a complimentary cruiser - smaller guns for blasting smaller ships, but also with multiple missiles to overwhelm the enemy point-defence.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Hostilities reopen with the Glirr-Gargaxton alliance in what will later be know as the Short War. 2nd Fleet, operating out of Kar Duniash, captures Omicron Persei in short order. Mere months later, the fleet engages the Glirr armada at the Battle of Hadar. 2nd Fleet fields 2 cruisers, 10 destroyers, and 16 corvettes. The combined Glirr forces comprise 14 destroyers and 37 corvettes, under the command of Glirr admiral Kokt Orr Kerekkt. After three months of running battle the 2nd is victorious. The Commonwealth lose 2 destroyers and 2 corvettes; the Glirr 4 destroyers and 13 corvettes. Meanwhile the 1st Fleet sweeps aside Gargaxton resistance, paving the way for 1st Crusade Army under Consul Audrey Decker, to conduct a planetstrike on the Gargaxton capital (Lestrall). An armistice is soon signed in August 2287.

The occupying Commonwealth armies find a world of ruins built upon ruins, with a society on the brink of complete collapse. Crime is rampant and state authority absent. An interim government is immediately installed. Lestrall is renamed Caliban. Recruitment drives on Earth, Alpha Centauri, and Sirius Magna encourage otherwise blue-collar workers to take up positions in the Calibanite Cthonic Army and the police services. A new governor, Mr Moron Peacock, is appointed by the Council to bring the planet to order. Heavy industries are nationalised and farms seized, as rationing is introduced among the native populace. On Caliban Station, the Commonwealth Special Marshal Service quietly opens a detention and interrogation centre.

Order is largely restored within 14 months, though the democratic and xenophilic parties of Parliament strongly protest the disenfranchisement of the Calibanites. In the midst of police crackdowns an art movement known as the Manifesti goes ignored. Beginning with protests in the form of flash-mob carnivals, the Manifesti begin a series of critical political exhibitions. In October 2291, the Manifesti officially form as a political party, agitating for, among other things, the free movement of rivers and the replacement of diplomatic embassies with staring contests.

And so, almost unnoticed by Commonwealth society, Alejandro Alonso (Nephew of the great archaeologist Eva Alonso) begins his researches into Telepathic Theory.

Commentary
I continue to be quite impressed by the Glirr's tenacity. I did believe I would be able to fully vassalise them - and perhaps I could have, were I prepared to keep battering away at them. But it comes down to cost-benefit. I didn't want to waste Alloys rebuilding ships lost from laying siege to their many, many strong starbases. When I saw how they were prepared to accept a Status Quo after Hadar, it just made more sense to finish it quickly.

It turns out that Lestrall being a Relic World isn't all that useful to me at this stage in the game. There are no specialised Blockers as on Irriamun. It does have equally good Habitability to all species, so the bright side is that it's as good a candidate as any for being a cosmopolitan world. Most of the inhabitants are Gargaxton, who aren't particularly troublesome. There are a few Sirgogg, for some reason, although why those pirates should be there I don't know, and sundry other species the Gargaxtons seem to have conquered. I've placed them all under Indentured Servitude for now, which seems most appropriate roleplay-wise, with all the Administrators, Merchants, Soldiers, and Enforcers filled with Humans.

Between the Manifesti event modifiers and the general discontent of the populace, production isn't as good as it could be. I'm not too worried about that. The size of the Egalitarian, Xenophilic, and Manifesti (Egalitarian) factions suggest it would make sense to grant at least some of the aliens Residency rights. Likewise the Deep Space Black Site (Plus the Gargaxton's Conformist trait) is likely to pull the political malcontents more in line with the empires ruling Ethics.

 

[Beth Pavell]

The evidence is now incontrovertible - psionic theory is a scientific reality, and Humanity is becoming a psychic race. More and more humans are being shown to be psychic every day, and as Alonso begins his studies into Telepathic Theory, the nature of human society is set to change radically.

The Commonwealth enters into a period of expansion as new planets and new orbital stations are settled. A new forge is constructed in orbit of Sirius Magna, while the colonies of Mavramur and Astowell are established during the course of 2299. Significant reshuffles of Governors are required when the venerable Chancellor Grasser dies in office in 2301, to be replaced by the Lord President of the Council Luis Saldana.

In early 2300, the Commonwealth declares war on the Rak Rak Reavers. Reports have been filtering into the public of Rak Rak atrocities committed during the last Rak Rak-Glirr war, including the mass-genocide of planetary populations. Opinion is fiercely divided among horrified xenophiles and the laissez-faire attitude of the human supremacist parties. However, the proximity of the Rak Rak conquests to Kar Duniash Station leaves the Parliament of Earth with no choice but to declare a pre-emptive strike in order to safeguard the borders. Two-thirds of the fleet and both Crusade armies are mustered for the attack. Over the course of the next five years, the Rak Rak refuse to give battle. The conquered Glirr worlds are invaded - Nek'Trarr, Glirria, Iterr'Kant, and Iterr'Rekt. The battle for Nek'Trarr is especially savage, leading to the loss of the 5th Legion.

The conquered worlds are forcibly depopulated, the Rak Rak population forced to leave en masse for the their ancestral homeworlds. After some one-sided skirmishes to Spinward the Rak Rak Reavers reluctantly agree to a ceasefire.

Commentary
That was a strange war. I deliberately declared war right on the the heels of the ceasefire between the Rak Rak and the Glirr, while I still had a good idea of where their fleets were and what their relative strength was. I am certain the Rak Rak had at least two main fleets of 3-4k strength, and perhaps one or two of lesser 1,500-2k. For some reason they just would not give battle under any circumstances ... I wonder if this is the AI being bright enough to know it would be costly and pointless?

I'm not really sure what's happening with the game mechanics again. Normally when a planet is conquered, given my policies in place, a number of human Pops from the empire should move in to take over the Ruler jobs, and sundry Specialist jobs. But for some reason this didn't happen with the Rak Rak conquests. Instead the Displacement purges went ahead, with the planet being automatically abandoned after the last Pops were kicked out.

My original plan was to kick out the Rak Rak, stabilise the economy of the conquered worlds, and split them off into a vassal a few years down the line. This development leaves a couple of alternate options - completely ignore the planets, or start completely afresh.

After a lot of thought, I've decided to add it to the empire proper. The problems:

• The borders are still porous. The rump of the Glirr Directorate to the Rimward side does provide a partial shield from one direction (With the Othethi and the Yl'khahan guaranteeing their independence, the Rak Rak have a strong deterrent not to start a third way), but the fact is that there are also two wormholes leading to god-knows-where in Figizar and Aslund.
• At this stage in the game, the population growth mechanics are going to hit new colonies hard. It'll take a long time for any of them to grow into something productive.
• Kar Duniash not withstanding, it's a long way from Sol. If anything goes wrong reinforcements will be a long way off.

On the other hand:

• Stellaris is a game were being proactive and defending key territory is what wins wars. If I can conquer the cluster by using Kar Duniash as a base, I can defend it that way.
• If they whole cluster is a nuisance to defend, Irriamun is still a nuisance to defend - therefore the incentive is to drive out the damn dragon.
• Virgin colonies are also relatively resource-light. I'll have as much time as I want to build the infrastructure to maintain them.
• Abandoned planets can be terraformed to something more useful.

The biggest investment therefore will be a dedicated squadron to remain on-station, probably at Suter Station. Kar Duniash will still be the primary fleet base, and will still need first dibs on upgrades - but a strong squadron based at Suter will at least be able to intercept any nasty surprises from pretty much anywhere in the cluster.

 

[Beth Pavell]

In 2308, the combined Commonwealth Navy engaged and destroyed the entity known as 'Shard' in the Irriamun system, reopening access to the relic world after almost 100 years. Shard was the first of a series of enigmatic and perilous entities discovered in the void between the stars - the chilly knowledge of which underpins the passing of the Military Readiness Act by the Senate on 1st April 2306.

Explorations begin of the wormholes of Figizar and Aslund. The Aslund wormhole is found to be connected to a system in the Zhakira Patch on the far side if the galactic core. The mysterious signal of Figizar, however, is revealed to originate from a malevolent psionic entity lurking in the systems beyond. The battlefleet is put on high alert and a watch on Figizar maintained.

The colony of Kalay is established in Suter, on the former Glirr world of Nekk'Trarr on 8th February 2311. The previous year, reactivated terraforming equipment on Astowell terraforms the tropical world into a Gaia World, perfectly suited for human life.

Commentary
Amazing. Sometimes you can't make it up. I've been trying to find a way to get round the galactic core for the best part of 50 years now. Through diplomatic channels it's been basically impossible. Why? Because on the other side of the core is the Grollferp Monopoly - a criminal syndicate who have been largely kept out of my hair by Mitron Star Corp's branch offices. But they have got their hooks into planets in the Gargaxton Citizen Union. If ever I integrate them into the Commonwealth I'll want to be able to wage war to throw them out. Until now it hasn't been possible ... and then the Aslund wormhole gives me a direct link to them.

Ship building and fleet reform is the order of the day. I've swapped round the fleet organisation. Now each main battlefleet has a coloured name (Green, Black, and Blue so far), and comprises 10 destroyers, 18 corvettes, and 4 cruisers, 2 of the Buzzard-class, 2 Kite-class. The battlefleets have support squadrons attached, 12 corvettes apiece. The idea is to have four battlefleets total, stationed at fleet bases more or less equidistant throughout the empire. The previous game has taught me to build more ships than I think I'll need. The way I see it, at worst it'll mean I can project military power in longer-distance campaigns whilst still keeping a strong reserve on guard.