AltHistoria Plays Stellaris - An interactive AAR

[Krall]

Alright, looks like the consensus is to demand our sub-light probe back and attack the scavengers if they refuse, and to focus on SCIENCE!

I'm going to be busy all this Weekend, so I'll aim to get the next update done and posted by next Friday (i.e. the 7th of October).

[Krall]

Quick update: Firstly, I don't know why I said the 7th of October in my last post - I meant the 30th of September. However, it doesn't look like I'll get the next update done by then as I've spent most of this week sleeping and catching up on chores I've missed due to sleeping too much.

Unfortunately at the end of the game session that composed the last update I experienced a bug whereby our empire's flag was changed upon loading a save game. I thought this was going to be a major issue and I was putting off searching for a solution, but I just spent about an hour fiddling around with save game editing and managed to figure out what the problem was! Essentially one of our flag's colours was incorrectly saved as "null" - in other words "no colour" - and I guess when the game tried to access that it flipped out and created a whole new flag. I edited the save game to change that colour back to black ("customcolor2001", specifically) and now the save works fine, so nothing's standing in the way of me getting the next update done! Apart from procrastination, of course.

Anyway, I doubt I'll get the update all done tomorrow, but it also shouldn't take until the 7th. I'll aim for Monday (the 3rd), but leave the 7th as an absolute deadline for the next update. Sorry for the delay and thanks for sticking with me!

[Krall]

Unfortunately I've been a bit busy this week, so I haven't got the update finished yet. I've managed to write up about a third of it though, so I'll have it done tomorrow. Sorry again for the delay.

Edit: I'm afraid I have to delay the update until Monday - I've got the writing 80% done, but I've yet to start on editing the screenshots, and I'm going to be busy or exhausted for all of Sunday.

[Krall]

Here's the second update! Sorry it took so long - I'll try to be better at keeping to deadlines in future. I've tried a somewhat different format in this update, organising things by year instead of by themes. I was planning to add a "Resource and Capacity Evaluation" to the end to give a general overview of our empire at this point, but decided against it since I was so far over the deadline already. Maybe I'll do Resource and Capacity Evaluations every few updates instead.

Anyway, here's the update!

Segment II: 2204.08.05 - 2207.10.22

***

They’d been trained as an architect and on Sraanik architecture was not an art, but a science. Rules and regulations demanded exacting standards and extensive analyses of environmental impact, thermal regulation, spatial efficiency, and useful lifespan of all buildings. As they’d risen through the meritocratic caste structure that defined Ghuldra society, Intendant Superior Kraw Zhek had learnt that similar mathematical analysis could be applied to any system, and right now they were learning how it could be applied to artificial intelligence.

True AI was a pipedream, but more limited AI was close at hand if the current rate of progress remained steady. Its use in economic planning and data analysis were obvious, whereas applying the technology to the organisation of scientific projects and resources was a new innovation, if still theoretical. It was a theory that Kraw Zhek was rapidly becoming familiar with, as they drank in the lectures and discussions at the scientific symposium. Khadet Awk - the Intendant Inferior - had absorbed the idea months ago, having received enthusiastic explanations from the contacts they maintained in the scientific castes, but they too were here looking over the heads of a thousand researchers in the domed lecture hall.

“Zagaan,” came a voice, a messenger waiting nervously behind them.

“Speak,” Kraw Zhek commanded.

“Signal from alien force in possession of our probe has been decoded: demands for energy-rich fuels in exchange for probe. Response?” The Intendants exchanged a knowing look. They’d considered this scenario along with a hundred more and, having calculated the odds, had already decided on the optimal response.

“Request denied.”

***

2204
Note: This document uses the Galactic Standard Dating System.

Scavengers, clearly alien in origin but not politically organised, had seized one of the Ghuldra’s sub-light probes hoping to salvage it for materials and data. Though a suggestion for a negotiated exchange was made by the scavengers, the Ghuldra had no confidence in their integrity and had calculated that a military solution was more reliable. Thus their first contact with sapient alien life immediately devolved into hostile conflict.



Though there was no precedent, the Absolute Jurisdiction had already considered the possibility of space warfare, and a formal caste structure for military spacecraft crews and officers had already been set up. They decided that a young Ghuldra named Kraw Yekton should be the one to command their first fleet. Though not as eager as some of their peers, Kraw Yekton displayed a skill and understanding of fleet logistics that put their castemates to shame. It would be some months before they were tested in battle however, as the Absolute Jurisdiction determined that their meager fleet must be expanded to ensure success.



Whilst recovery of the sub-light probes had been stalled, the scientific expedition under Sran Tlaan had gathered the support and supplies necessary to examine the alien structures they’d found in the Achemar system in more detail.



“Structures are complex, colourful, and varied in design. Interaction with structures produces sound and movement in a predictable manner, displaying understanding of basic mechanical principles and laws of motion. Structures include arrays of connected pipes into which spheres may be inserted and their motion directed using switches; small components resembling animals attached to foundations via metal springs; large three dimensional maze navigable by low-friction slopes, poles, nets, and vertically aligned rungs installed within; large wheels elevated above the ground with smaller components at regular intervals around the rim attached so that they remain upright as wheel turns; etc. Researchers report elated mood upon interaction with structures, causation indeterminate.”
-Description of the anomalous structures from a report by Sran Tlaan.


2205

By 2205 the search for the sub-light probes had resumed, and the Yekton-Awk-0738 set out for the predicted destination of the second probe: Gothra. Upon arrival they immediately identified the probe, but had barely processed their intial scans when the probe sent out a transmission directed at their vessel.




The garbled message shocked the crew - not only had their probe been intercepted and modified by alien forces, but the modifications had given it some level of self-awareness.Ever cautious, Sran Tlaan took some time to consider their options before responding to the probe’s demand, and confirmed the Ghuldra as the probe’s creators.



Despite the apparent hostility of the universe, Ghuldra scientists were increasingly curious and petitioned the Indendant Superior to organise a survey of potentially habitable worlds to collect data on their astronomical frequency and individual ecosystems. The additional incentive to find future colonisation sites suited the Intendant’s plans perfectly, and so the order was given.



Rationally minded as a species and logical to a fault due to their culture, science has always been an important priority for the Ghuldra. The discovery of practical FTL travel had propelled Ghuldra science into a new paradigm, and numerous scientific firsts can be identified throughout 2205. The project to colonise other worlds moved out of the research phase and moved into resource collection and construction phase, whilst motorised exo-skeletons were rolled out to menial castes to improve their efficiency. Projects for the expansion of spaceport infrastructure as well as early experiments in genetic modification and artificial intelligence were initiated at this time.



The military expansion that had begun the previous year also came to fruition. A small fleet of five warships, armed with nuclear missiles adapted from now-unnecessary ICBM systems, was complete.



Organised as Corps Segment I and commanded by Kraw Yekton, the fleet set out to take back their probes by force. The scavengers proved no match for the armada, their small ships unable to evade the hail of missiles the Ghuldra unleashed upon them. Though an easy victory, the Ghuldra knew that the scavengers must live off the dregs of more organised and powerful alien societies. So far their encounters with alien life had resulted in hostility, and the rulers of the Absolute Jurisdiction began to fear what more could be waiting out in the void..





2206

The second probe proved more troublesome. Its alien modifications prevented accurate sensor readings, yet the fleet was dispatched to neutralise it without any understanding of its capabilities. In battle it utilised energy weapons unlike any that the Ghuldra had seen or even speculated.




“Vehicle Kha-Rawk-0560 irrecoverable; crew terminated. Vehicle Kha-Awk-2156 lightly damaged; casualties substantial. Other vehicles report insignificant damage, casualties few. Operational criteria achieved. Will return for vehicle repair and crew management.”
-Summary from an after action report by Kraw Yekton

These clashes had left fields of alien debris orbiting planets within Ghuldra space. The Absolute Jurisdiction immediately ordered the Yekten-Awk-0738 to collect and analyse the debris in hopes of reverse engineering the aliens’ technology.



This year also saw significant resources directed towards AI research and away from other projects. Originally the idea of the Intendant Inferior, Khadet Awk Zhek Zagaan, the reorganisation had been approved by the Intendant Superior, Kraw Zhek, despite their previous prioritisation of colonisation projects. Ultimately they had been swayed by the promise of considerable benefits for scientific research, and thus the order was given.




2207

The prioritisation of AI research greatly speeded the project, and limited AI were deployed in administrative and organisational capacities in early 2207. Experiments in genome analysis and modification also began to yield dividends, as experimental gene therapies proved effective in extending Ghuldra lifespan. Projects were also begun to research the possible use of energy fields as a form of regenerating shielding for military spacecraft, in order to prevent permanent damage in future conflicts, as well as to organise the expansion of biological research facilities in preparation for the data gathered by the habitable worlds survey.



The debris analysis from the Absolute Jurisdiction’s encounters with hostile alien forces was swiftly completed. The probe’s modifications proved too damaged to extract any useful information, but the scavenger ships’ carcasses were a treasure trove of data. Ghuldra scientists were able to examine how the scavengers’ advanced laser weaponry and advanced power systems worked and were confident that, on this foundation, they would be able to adapt both technologies for use in the Absolute Jurisdiction’s spacecraft.




Since the discovery of FTL travel the Ghuldra had entered into a new era of progress and plenty, and yet not everyone was satisfied. Members of the menial castes were increasingly disatisfied with the status quo - though new technology had vastly improved their efficiency and output, they saw none of the benefits. Protest actions were common during this period, though it was rare for anyone in authority to hear about them as the work directors that oversaw their work believed the situation to be well under control. Realising that simple strike actions and non-violent disobedience wasn’t working, many among the menial castes incited riots and violent resistance, hoping to escalate the issue.



Two of four sub-light probes had been recovered by the Absolute Jurisdiction by this point, and they soon set out for the third with the Yekton-Awk-0738 heading to the Rasalgethi system. As the effective range of their early warp drives was quite short, the science expedition made a scheduled stop in the Shulmak system, where a routine scan revealed not one but two habitable planets. Shulmak III appeared to have a biosphere and climate identical to that of Sraanik whilst Shulmak IV was hotter and drier.



Research into expanding orbital infrastructure made great leaps and strides during this period. In preparation for the vast resource costs of such a project, a research initiative into more effective and efficient mining techniques was begun.



The probe recovery expedition to Rasalgethi arrived to find their objective floating powerless in space, surrounded by an array of inexplicable gravitational and electro-magnetic fields, which were powerful enough to rip apart a flimsy science ship like the Yekton-Awk-0738.



With the recovery too dangerous to attempt, the expedition was given orders to return to Shulmak to perform more detailed scans of the system. However, as they were leaving they realised that amongst the electromagnetic static put out by the anomaly there were a number of regular radio patterns, similar to the Ghuldra’s own communications. A more thorough analysis proved that these signals were not being put out by the anomaly, but had originated from a neighbouring star system. Turning their long-range sensors towards the system the crew received data indicating a spacecraft again not unlike their own.

This information was immediately relayed back to Sraanik. Fearing that these aliens might prove hostile Intendant Superior Kraw Zhek Zagaan prioritised the decoding of these signals, halting work on numerous science projects. Long distance contact via radio signals seemed a preferable introduction than possibly being on the receiving end of alien belligerence in a ship-to-ship encounter.

i.imgur.com/Qbv7jI9.png

The Ghuldra were able to successfully decode the signals in a matter of weeks, but the process of translating the audio result would take several months. The signals themselves proved to unimportant, routine communications, but with an understanding of their communication systems and language the Ghuldra opted to contact and, hopefully, establish peaceful relations with the alien government that called itself the Hierarchy of Zithras.




***

I thought our first contact with an alien empire was a good stopping point for this update. As you can see on the final image we have three diplomatic responses we can choose based on our ethics. These choices don't actually do anything but I think each one indicates a different attitude towards foreign empires, so I'd like you guys to choose one of these options and I'll take that as our general foreign policy for the time being:

OPTION 1: Fanatical Collectivist
"Our superior collective greets you, Zithorians."
This indicates a patronising attitude and a superiority complex, though not active hostility.

OPTION 2: Materialist
"We all have much to gain from this encounter."
This indicates a cordial attitude interested in co-operation and mutual scientific exchange.

OPTION 3: Fanatical Collectivist/Materialist
"You will find yourself no match for us, Zithorians."
This indicates active competition and hostility towards other empires.

We should also address that growing problem with slaves menial caste workers growing rebellious. At present they're "Docile Slaves", and all they're demanding is that we change our law on slavery to "Regulated Slavery", which makes slaves less efficient (at the moment they produce +20% minerals and food, under regulated slavery they'd produce +10%). If we don't do this then we'll need to find some way to keep the Docile Slaves down, which can be done by increasing their happiness (we don't really have any way to do that at the moment) or reducing their faction support by using the Special Treatment and Scare Tactics options under Faction Management (these both cost a fair amount of Influence and Energy, which we don't have much of at present), and if we can't keep them down then they will start to radicalise becoming "Malcontent Slaves" who will more actively attack us and may ultimately revolt. If we do enact Regulated Slavery then they'll be entirely content and will only start turning into Malcontent Slaves if a non-slave pop starts opposing slavery (i.e. by not having the collectivist ethic). Which do you guys think we should do? Adopt regulated slavery or keep the status quo, with the option to adopt regulated slavery at a later point?

Also, how do you like the format of this AAR? Is there anything you'd like me to do in terms of how it's laid out, organised, displayed, etc.? And remember, if you have any questions about the game I'm always happy to answer!

[Jasen777]

Well there is no need to insult or put on alert other species. Until we have a reason to, of course.

You make it sound like we don't really have an alternative on the slavery situation. But we can ride it out for awhile?

As for the AAR, as I'm not familiar with this game, it seems like a lot of information at once.

[Krall]

Oct 12, 2016 1:41:59 GMT Jasen777 said:

Well there is no need to insult or put on alert other species. Until we have a reason to, of course.

So you're in favour of Option 2: Be nice and co-operate?

Oct 12, 2016 1:41:59 GMT Jasen777 said:

You make it sound like we don't really have an alternative on the slavery situation. But we can ride it out for awhile?

The faction system's kind of a mess, but in all my hours of playing I've never actually seen a rebellion by any faction. However whenever I've played as a slaving empire I've always enacted regulated slavery as soon as the Docile Slaves start making any trouble, just so I don't have to deal with them, so I don't know for sure whether ignoring their demands would be a big problem or not. Riding it out for a while and seeing if it becomes a real problem is certainly an option, and I'd be interested to see what happens if we do just ignore their demands.

Oct 12, 2016 1:41:59 GMT Jasen777 said:

As for the AAR, as I'm not familiar with this game, it seems like a lot of information at once.

Ah, yeah I can understand that. I think I'll do a general overview (or "Resource and Capacity Evaluation" as I'm calling them) next, which will be less in-character and explain more about the game. If there's a specific thing you're confused about let me know and I can try and explain, or incorporate details about it into an update.

[MinnesotaNationalist]

Ha, I like that part about the playgrounds (although I don't understand what "Structures include arrays of connected pipes into which spheres may be inserted and their motion directed using switches" is suppose to be).

For problem #1, I think we should take the materialist route. Be friendly to them until they're either directly hostile to us or until we outdo them so much it'll be easy to destroy them.

For problem #2, I think just keep them docile. Build a couple of defense armies and we should be good.

I like the format, but I fear it'll get a bit complicated later on when we have like 10+ things going on at once. What you have this time I think is good, but I think when we get to a certain mark (say, maybe about the 2300 mark) it might be easier for us if you organize it in themes again.

May I also request that at the end of these posts that we get to see a regional map of the galaxy (at least starting with the next one)?

[Krall]

Oct 12, 2016 5:05:51 GMT MinnesotaNationalist said:

Ha, I like that part about the playgrounds (although I don't understand what "Structures include arrays of connected pipes into which spheres may be inserted and their motion directed using switches" is suppose to be).

Thanks! That one I just made up - initially I was just gonna make them all up, but decided to describe real playground rides for humour, but I guess I left that one in because I was in a rush.

Oct 12, 2016 5:05:51 GMT MinnesotaNationalist said:

For problem #1, I think we should take the materialist route. Be friendly to them until they're either directly hostile to us or until we outdo them so much it'll be easy to destroy them.

Looks like the "Play nice" foreign policy is popular, at least at the moment.

Oct 12, 2016 5:05:51 GMT MinnesotaNationalist said:

For problem #2, I think just keep them docile. Build a couple of defense armies and we should be good.

You mean ignore their demands and don't implement regulated slavery?

Oct 12, 2016 5:05:51 GMT MinnesotaNationalist said:

I like the format, but I fear it'll get a bit complicated later on when we have like 10+ things going on at once. What you have this time I think is good, but I think when we get to a certain mark (say, maybe about the 2300 mark) it might be easier for us if you organize it in themes again.

May I also request that at the end of these posts that we get to see a regional map of the galaxy (at least starting with the next one)?

Yeah, later on I imagine I'll have to gloss over a lot of the details in order to focus on whatever the main thing going on is. I'll definitely include maps in the Resource and Capacity Evaluation things I'm planning to do - I might have try and incorporate a short overview with maps, resources, production, and some other stuff at the end of each update, and use Resource and Capacity Evaluations as special updates to cover details that couldn't be reasonably incorporated into the main updates. I guess I'll wait and see, but yes I'll post a map of the galaxy soon.

[AnachronistRocketeer]

It's a great second update Krall, I'm enjoying the new format and hop you'll continue it for now.

As to the issues ahead of us, I think we should try to co-operate with these aliens. We've had some serious blows recently to our naval forces, and gaining allies at this time would be more useful than getting in a pointless conflict. As well, I think we should see what happens on the slavery front, perhaps they'll see the error of their complaints and accept the wisdom of Intendent Superior.

[Krall]

Jesus, I hadn't realised that it'd been ten days since I promised to do a Resource & Capacity Evaluation update. I've left it so long the next version of the game's been released! D: I think we'll be staying on 1.2.5 though - the various mods I'm using haven't been updated yet and loading a 1.2.5 save game in 1.3.0 is kinda messy.

Anyway, I'm gonna get the R&CE update done this weekend. It'll be relatively long, since it's our first one and I'd like to talk about everything at least a little to get everyone up to speed on what we've got and what we can do with it. Sorry again for the delay!

[Krall]

RESOURCE & CAPACITY EVALUATION: 2207
Incoming message…
Originator - ADMIN:038141:5497:NAWN:IROSH
Recipient - ADMIN:243288:9016:KRAW:ZHEK:ZAGAAN


“Zagaan, what follows is an evaluation of the Absolute Jurisdiction’s resources and capacity.

FTL propulsion and transmission speeds limit the distance we can reasonably claim and exploit resources. Foreign Jurisdiction-01 (Hierarchy of Zithras) is similarly limited, but has made efforts to extend their effective jurisdiction far from their homeworld.”



In short, the red zone on the map indicates our territory. Our borders are expanded by any planet we colonise, as well as “Frontier Outposts”. You can see that Zithras has extended its territory in the south without colonising any planets, indicating that they’ve built a Frontier Outpost down there. Generally it’s inadvisable to build Frontier Outposts unless there’s some territory you desperately want/need with no colonisable planets in it, as Outposts take Influence to sustain, and Influence is generally hard to come by.

You may also note that our territory is curved inwards at the top instead of being a perfect circle, which indicates that there’s an alien empire that’s set up a colony or outpost just to the north of us. Maybe they’re friendly?

Also note the orange hexagon, which is the one sub-light probe we haven’t investigated yet, and the red square with an exclamation mark in it inside Zithorian territory. That red square means that there were hostiles in that system last time we could see it - in this case it’s referring to the subspace anomaly that’s holding one of our probes hostage. Even though it’s in Zithorian territory we’ll still have access to it, as borders are open by default.


“Exploration of local space has barely begun. Most of the galaxy remains unknown.”



Though you guys might appreciate a screenshot of the whole galaxy, for reference. We’ve only explored a tiny pocket of it, but as time goes on we’ll come into contact with alien empires in every corner of the galaxy. Also, I’ve just realised that we should probably have a name for our galaxy - given the Ghuldra’s propensity for efficient classification systems it’s probably something like “Galactic Supersystem-01”, unless any of you can think of a better name?


“Remote platforms for industrial and scientific purposes have permitted exploitation of resources across several star systems. Large energy resources remain unexploited, along with substantial mineral deposits and research opportunities.”



The symbols and numbers below each system tell you what resources are available in that system. The green numbers are resources we’re currently exploiting with mining and research stations, whilst the white numbers are resources we’re aware of but aren’t being exploited. Later we’ll also see yellow numbers, which indicate that another empire is exploiting those resources.

The dotted green line is our sensor range - essentially we can only see other empire’s fleets within that area. Both colonies and ships extend our sensor range, and we’ll be getting techs to expand ship sensor ranges as time goes on. Ship sensor upgrades also increase their chance to hit with weapons, so they’re pretty useful in general.

Anyway, we have a good start in terms of available Energy and Minerals, and a fair bit of research. The Ghuldra don’t believe in luck, but our location is definitely fortuitous.


“Energy production surplus has shrunk, but production has generally kept pace with consumption. Production and refinement of rare and vital minerals has more than doubled since the advent of FTL technology, primarily due to ease of access to mineral deposits in the Zhalaan System.”



This shows our production and use of the main three resources in this game - Energy, Minerals, and Influence - and the game’s own description of them. To give a quick summary:

-Energy is used to maintain pretty much everything (buildings, stations, ships, armies) but is rarely spent otherwise, so it’s more important that we have a surplus than having lots of Energy stored up.

-Minerals is used to build everything, though a little bit is used to maintain military fleets. In the early game mineral production is the primary thing limiting what you can do, so we’ve gotten quite lucky with our home system having quite a lot of the stuff.

-Influence is used for a variety of things, mainly involving bureaucracy. The main thing is recruiting leaders, who take 50 Influence to recruit by default (certain techs and policies can change this), but it’s also used for Empire Edicts (which give ongoing, empire-wide bonuses and are very useful) and Planetary Edits (which give temporary bonuses to a single planet, and are useful in certain circumstances). Certain rare buildings also take Influence to build.

We’re in a good position for all of these at the moment, since we have lots of untapped Minerals and Energy on planets/asteroids and Object Sraanik. Influence production is mainly improved through technologies and I’m planning to take said technologies when they come up, especially since the last tech in that sequence gives you access to “Advanced Government Forms” which are identical to normal government forms but with twice the bonuses, so our +5% research speed bonus will go up to +10%!


“Scientific research rate cannot be reliably quantified, however all measures indicate our scientific progress has advanced faster than predicted and continues to accelerate.”



We started the game with just the base 5 science output in all areas so we’ve doubled our science output, and getting the Administrative AI tech has given us a substantial +5% bonus to research speed. This is in addition to our government’s +5% bonus, the bonus from our research leaders (+2% per rank, indicated by stars - certain attributes increase this further, e.g. Utekh Raakh has the “Maniacal” trait which is another +5% and Raakh Esh has “Expertise: Voidcraft” which is +10% if they’re researching a Voidcraft tech), and bonuses from Empire Edicts. Presently we have an edict active focusing research on Physics, which is +30% to Physics research and -10% to other research. There’s also a “Encourage Free Thought” edict which is +10% to all research rates but also increases Ethics Divergence, which might make our populace switch to ethics other than Fanatical Collectivist and Materialist, which may cause unhappiness and subsequent rebellions. It may not be an issue, as capital planets have much lower Ethics Divergence than colonies, so I’ll consider activating that during the next update.

Long story short: SCIENCE!


“Absolute Jurisdiction bureaucracy has expanded significantly since the advent of FTL, yet the adaptive structure is far from capacity and future expansions can be made without issue.”



This panel shows all our regular leaders, as you can see we’ve got 1 Governor, 4 Scientists, and 1 Admiral. In the top right you can see how many leaders we’ve got total and our maximum, we’ve got 6 leaders and our maximum is 10, so we can have 4 more leaders if we want. Most likely our next couple of new leaders will be governors to run new colonies, and another scientist or two to lead science ships and survey more systems.

The insert in the lower right shows us our ruler and heir. Since we don’t have elections these are not chosen from amongst our other leaders, instead they’re generated separately. Rulers always have two special traits which provide bonuses (and occasionally penalties) when they’re in power. Kraw Zekh Zagaan, our current Intendant Superior, is a “Champion of the People” giving us a +10% happiness bonus (since excess happiness gives a bonus to production, this is one of the best traits to get) and has “Architectural Sense” giving us a 15% reduction in building costs. Khadet Awk Zhek Zagaan however has “Deep Connections” which gives +1 Influence per month, and “Corvette Focus” which reduces the price of building corvettes by 20%. Kraw Zekh’s bonuses make them a pretty great ruler, though Khadet Awk’s aren’t bad either. As the Intendant Inferior (our heir) Khadet Awk doesn’t actually provide those bonuses to us yet, though. Our Intendants' ages aren't displayed on this screen, but I can see them by hovering the mouse over them - Kraw Zhek Zagaan is 46 and Khadet Awk Zhek Zagaan is a wee babby at only 27.

Our leaders will eventually die of old age (or the fleet/army they’re commanding being destroyed) but that won’t start happening until they’re 82 at least. Indeed, scientist Tkuz Tkuz has the “Resilient” trait which extends their lifespan by 25 years, so they’ll live to a minimum of 107 years! Generally we want to keep our leaders alive as long as possible so we can get the full benefit of a fully leveled up leader for longer, and because recruiting replacements uses Influence. For reference the maximum level a leader can attain is 5, and experience towards levels is gained in various ways depending on the leader type (governors get it primarily by building new stuff on the planet they govern, scientists by survey planets/leading research, admirals and generals by fighting).


“Development of Object Sraanik continues. Population capacity has not been reached; growth is rapid. Planning focuses on expansion of energy production and scientific facilities.”



The left panel gives us a general overview of our homeworld and the governor running it. Awk Esh has the “Intellectual” trait, and thus is giving us a +10% bonus to all science production. Usually I wait a while before building science buildings, instead focusing on building research stations, but since we have a +10% bonus from our governor, a +10% bonus from our genetic traits, *and* a +5% bonus from our ethics I think it’s viable to focus on building and expanding science buildings early. Especially since we have lots of untapped Energy on Sraanik and on planets, so we should be able to sustain lots of upgraded buildings.


“FTL capable vehicles are few. Majority are military. Increase in science and construction vehicle numbers may prove necessary.”



This is just a quick rundown of all our ships, so you know what we’ve got:

-Corps Segment I
-4 Utekh-333 class corvettes, commanded by Kraw Yekton
-1 class science ship, the Yekton-Awk-0738, commanded by Sran Tlaan
-1 class construction ship, the Tkuz-Nawn-0926

Not much more than we started with, but that’s going to change in the next couple of updates.

***

ADDENDUM: FOREIGN JURISDICTION-01 “Hierarchy of Zithras” ANALYSIS

“Zagaan, what follows is an analysis of Foreign Jurisdiction-01.

Zithorian homeworld of Zithras is similar to Object Sraanik in climate and ecosystem, but Zithorian evolutionary history is radically different from our own. Zithorians developed from arthropod analogues, possessing an external exoskeleton and a ganglionic nervous system. As a result they are slower to process data and make logical deductions than Ghuldra, and are motivated more by emotional wants and needs than logical directives. Physically they possess greater strength than the Ghuldra, and their slower metabolism results in an extended lifespan.”



The Zithorians are native to Arid worlds - like us - but they have none of the same traits. We’re Intelligent, Quick Learners, and Decadent, whilst they are Enduring and Strong. Strong increases pops’ output of Minerals as well as the damage done by armies of that species, and Enduring increases the lifespan of their leaders by 30 years. So physically they’re more powerful than us, but they lack our intellectual abilities and, er, natural acceptance of unequal power hierarchies.


“Zithorian strength and emotionality makes them more likely to resist dominance hierarchies, leading to a less stratified social structure than our own. Their government maintains conformity through controlled violence, with a supreme military leader being the ultimate organiser of all state activities. Zithorian culture focuses on violence, or the threat thereof, as a primary resolver of social conflicts. Pragmatism and scientific realism is dominant in such an environment, as spiritualism proves inefficient and superstitious individuals are easily beaten by those who conform to a materialist worldview.”



They’re a Military Dictatorship - an autocratic government like our own, but with bonuses geared towards military goals - with Fanatical Militarism and Materialism as their guiding ethics. All NPC empires have a personality based on their ethics which determines how they’re going to act, and in this case the Zithorians are Ruthless Capitalists. In essence they’re cowardly and self-interested, so they shouldn’t be a problem provided we stay as strong or stronger than them militarily.


“Diplomatic communications remain short and stilted, but connections are likely to grow as our states become more familiar with each other.”



They’re not too fond of us at the moment, but we’re sorta interacting in a vacuum here - until more states come into play and regional rivalries and alliances start to form we won’t know whether the Zithorians are likely to be antagonists or allies. We’ll have to wait and see.

Note the heart symbol with a 0 next to it beside their opinion - that’s Trust. When two empires agree to certain pacts with one another their Trust for each other will start to grow up to a maximum of 50 for minor agreements, and a maximum of 100 for things like defensive pacts and alliances. This number is added to their opinion for the other empire, and is one of the main determinants of who’s friend and who’s foe. Basically if circumstances force two empires to work together, Trust will mean they’re likely to remain together after the fact. At the moment the Zithorians won’t agree to any pacts with us, so there’s no way for us to build Trust with them. If we find we have a common enemy, however, they might be willing to enter into a Non-Aggression Pact or even a Defensive Pact with us. Like I said, we’ll have to wait and see how the geopolitics of our region develop.


“Analysis of their own resources and capacity is difficult, but militarily their fleets seem equivalent to our own, though more numerous. Technologically we believe we have a slight advantage, one that is sure to grow. We believe that their economy is able to produce a substantial energy surplus, though their production and refinement of vital materials is similar to our own.”



These images show the game’s general comparison of our militaries, and the modded map modes showing technology, energy production, and mineral production respectively.

At the moment, there’s not much difference between us in terms of production and capacity. They probably have a few more corvettes, and we probably have a couple more techs, but that’s it. They have a substantial Energy surplus considering how early in the game we are, but we’ve yet to tap into a lot of our Energy resources, so that’s nothing to worry about.

So, in summary: Zithorians are like Klingons with Ferengi ethics, and we’re about even in terms of development.

Alright, sorry that took so long to make and post, I'm still not used to the routine of making these updates. Also there was a lot of information to include. Future "evaluations" like this one won't be so detailed, most likely they'll just cover the general progress of the Absolute Jurisdiction and things that couldn't be fitted into the main updates. Speaking of which I'm gonna try and get the next proper update done by the end of this week, but I'm not making any promises!

[Jasen777]

Nice info. What's the other symbols? The green globe, atom symbol, and gold wheel thing?

[MinnesotaNationalist]

Oct 25, 2016 17:08:18 GMT Jasen777 said:

Nice info. What's the other symbols? The green globe, atom symbol, and gold wheel thing?

Those, sir, would be the type of sciences. the green globe is sociology, the atom is physics, and the gear is engineering.

[Krall]

Oct 25, 2016 17:11:09 GMT MinnesotaNationalist said:

Oct 25, 2016 17:08:18 GMT Jasen777 said:

Nice info. What's the other symbols? The green globe, atom symbol, and gold wheel thing?

Those, sir, would be the type of sciences. the green globe is sociology, the atom is physics, and the gear is engineering.

Ah, sorry I didn't realise I hadn't explained that. Yes, as MN says, those are the three types of science - Physics (blue atom), Society (green globe), and Engineering (orange cog). Technologies are sorted into those three categories and we can only research one tech of each category at any given time. I tend to keep the production of different types of science fairly even, but Engineering seems to have less useful late game techs than Physics and Society, so I'll probably focus on those two more.

There's a wide variety of techs in each area, but generally speaking Physics is focused on Energy production, computing/AI, and laser weapons; Society is focused on colonisation, armies (which I haven't really shown off yet - basically you need to build some and send them to enemy planets to capture them; spaceships can bombard planets from orbit but can't actually occupy them), and genetic engineering (yes, we can eventually genetically engineer our own population); and Engineering is focused on Mineral production, larger spaceships and space ports, and both kinetic and missile weapons.

[Jasen777]

What's the significance of them being on the map screen compared to being on the planet (system) screen?

[Krall]

Oct 25, 2016 22:05:00 GMT Jasen777 said:

What's the significance of them being on the map screen compared to being on the planet (system) screen?

The main thing is ship positioning. Spaceship weapons all have a range and spaceships can't engage in combat outside of that range, so just because an enemy fleet is in the same star system as one of yours doesn't mean they're fighting - they'll need to move into range first. In the planet/system view you can see exactly where all spaceships, stations, and planets in that system are relative to one another and make decisions about where to send your fleet/where to build defensive stations accordingly. There are some nuances to this that may come up when we start going to war (and we most certainly are going to war at some point - even Fanatical Pacifists can't avoid it), mainly involving how FTL drives work.

Theoretically you could play the whole game from the galaxy map, but you wouldn't know exactly what's going on in each star system. Also the star systems are way prettier than the galaxy map.

[Jasen777]

I meant the science symbols. Like zhalaan shows 2 cogs on the map but has more globes and atoms on the system screen.

[Krall]

Oct 25, 2016 23:10:06 GMT Jasen777 said:

I meant the science symbols. Like zhalaan shows 2 cogs on the map but has more globes and atoms on the system screen.

Oh! Sorry I read your question wrong the first time, I think I may have been a bit tired.

The icons shown on the galaxy map only represent resources that can be "mined" from orbital stations in that system - not resources that are produced/can potentially be exploited on inhabited planets. So. as an inhabited planet, Object Sraanik's production of energy, minerals, and science is not shown on the galaxy map. Planets that are inhabitable but not yet inhabited can be "mined" by an orbital station instead of colonised, but you only get the production of one random tile on the planet itself and can't improve it with buildings. Once you colonise a planet you can start improving and exploiting more of the tiles on the planet, which ultimately will make any inhabitable planet more productive than any uninhabitable star system.

So, these panels here just show the production of our homeworld - Object Sraanik - and not any of the asteroids or uninhabitable worlds in our home star system, whilst this map shows the production of all the uninhabitable asteroids and planets in the Zhalaan system, but not that of our homeworld.

Did that make sense? I'm never sure if I'm being coherent when I try and explain things like this.

[Krall]

Sorry for the lack of updates - I've had a stressful few months.

I think I've left this AAR dormant for too long to pick it back up, as there have been a few major updates since I last posted, but would anyone be interested in an interactive AAR using the most recent version of Stellaris? I don't intend to go through the whole process of picking each and every thing again - instead I'm thinking people propose species/empire concepts first, we choose one we like, and we figure out the ethics, traits, government type, etc. that best fit. Thoughts?

[lordroel]

Question, wich site do you use to host your pictures, and also they are good looking, keep up the work.