The ACDC returns in 2025! 17-19 January 2025 we'll gather online for a variety of games and chats all weekend long
Recent Posts
1
4X Gaming / Re: Stellaris
« Last post by Martok on Today at 07:21:31 PM »Stellaris Dev Diary #356 - Building a Grand Archive and Displaying Your Collection:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-356-building-a-grand-archive-and-displaying-your-collection.1706729/
Nice. Lots of good stuff here.
To start off with, in case it wasn't already clear, the ***Grand Archive*** DLC is focused around science & exploration, and will synergize well with similarly-themed DLC such as Distant Stars, Ancient Relics, and Astral Planes. Indeed, the developers went and "refreshed" the content in those three particular DLC's (along with various content in the base game) specifically so that it will work better with Grand Archive. :sunglasses:
As for the Grand Archive itself, it appears it's another "kilo-structure", similar to the Arc Furnace and Dyson Swarm that were introduced in the recent ***Machine Age*** expansion. Both the technology & resource requirements for the Grand Archive are pretty modest, so you'll be able to build it pretty early on. Every empire can only build one, and you probably want to place it at your homeworld, or at least somewhere in your core sector where it will be well-protected.
From reading the dev diary, the Grand Archive is essentially the British Museum or Smithsonian *IN SPAAAACE!!* You can display up to a total of 27 "Specimens" -- 9 each from 3 categories (Aesthetic Wonders, Galactic History, Xeno Geology), and of varying availability (Common, Rare, Epic, Exceptional). Displaying each Specimen has a cost, but also bestows a benefit of some kind. You'll likely end up acquiring more Specimens than you have exhibition space for,; so you may choose to rotate them, or sell off your excess Specimens if you like.
Interestingly, the Grand Archive is one of the few types of mega-structures that can be destroyed: If you destroy another empire's Grand Archive, you'll automatically be rewarded with some Specimens that you ~~raided~~ preserved from destruction. Specimens can also be traded with other empires via the diplomacy screen.
Once you’ve researched Galactic Archivism (which also lets you build the Grand Archive), you gain access to the Archivsm Traditions. These new traditions largely focus on improving either your Scientists' overall abilities, and/or the Exhibition "output" from the Specimens on display in your Grand Archive. However, almost certainly the most notable of these new traditions is "Frontier Archeology", which allows your Scientists to -- at last!! -- excavate Archeological Sites in unowned star systems. I'm almost unreasonably excited about this.
There's also a new Civic called "Galactic Curators", along with similar Civics for hive minds, machine empires, and even genocidal empires: Galactic Curators really leans into the new Specimens mechanic, as well as rewarding your empire with a chunk of Unity every time you complete an Archeology dig. You also receive bonuses when interacting with the Curator enclave.
Speaking of the Curator enclave, there are now additional options & interactions available when contacting them in the diplomacy screen. For a price, they may offer rare (or better) Specimens from their personal collection to display in your Grand Archive. You can also ask them for various things (again, at a price), such as specialized museum plans, or help setting up cultural enrichment programs.
And then on the base game, the Custodians team has done a rather major cleanup & overhaul of the game settings screen. I gotta say, it looks good. These are the kinds of quality-of-life improvements I really appreciate.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-356-building-a-grand-archive-and-displaying-your-collection.1706729/
Nice. Lots of good stuff here.
To start off with, in case it wasn't already clear, the ***Grand Archive*** DLC is focused around science & exploration, and will synergize well with similarly-themed DLC such as Distant Stars, Ancient Relics, and Astral Planes. Indeed, the developers went and "refreshed" the content in those three particular DLC's (along with various content in the base game) specifically so that it will work better with Grand Archive. :sunglasses:
As for the Grand Archive itself, it appears it's another "kilo-structure", similar to the Arc Furnace and Dyson Swarm that were introduced in the recent ***Machine Age*** expansion. Both the technology & resource requirements for the Grand Archive are pretty modest, so you'll be able to build it pretty early on. Every empire can only build one, and you probably want to place it at your homeworld, or at least somewhere in your core sector where it will be well-protected.
From reading the dev diary, the Grand Archive is essentially the British Museum or Smithsonian *IN SPAAAACE!!* You can display up to a total of 27 "Specimens" -- 9 each from 3 categories (Aesthetic Wonders, Galactic History, Xeno Geology), and of varying availability (Common, Rare, Epic, Exceptional). Displaying each Specimen has a cost, but also bestows a benefit of some kind. You'll likely end up acquiring more Specimens than you have exhibition space for,; so you may choose to rotate them, or sell off your excess Specimens if you like.
Interestingly, the Grand Archive is one of the few types of mega-structures that can be destroyed: If you destroy another empire's Grand Archive, you'll automatically be rewarded with some Specimens that you ~~raided~~ preserved from destruction. Specimens can also be traded with other empires via the diplomacy screen.
Once you’ve researched Galactic Archivism (which also lets you build the Grand Archive), you gain access to the Archivsm Traditions. These new traditions largely focus on improving either your Scientists' overall abilities, and/or the Exhibition "output" from the Specimens on display in your Grand Archive. However, almost certainly the most notable of these new traditions is "Frontier Archeology", which allows your Scientists to -- at last!! -- excavate Archeological Sites in unowned star systems. I'm almost unreasonably excited about this.
There's also a new Civic called "Galactic Curators", along with similar Civics for hive minds, machine empires, and even genocidal empires: Galactic Curators really leans into the new Specimens mechanic, as well as rewarding your empire with a chunk of Unity every time you complete an Archeology dig. You also receive bonuses when interacting with the Curator enclave.
Speaking of the Curator enclave, there are now additional options & interactions available when contacting them in the diplomacy screen. For a price, they may offer rare (or better) Specimens from their personal collection to display in your Grand Archive. You can also ask them for various things (again, at a price), such as specialized museum plans, or help setting up cultural enrichment programs.
And then on the base game, the Custodians team has done a rather major cleanup & overhaul of the game settings screen. I gotta say, it looks good. These are the kinds of quality-of-life improvements I really appreciate.
2
History and Tall Tales / Re: This Day in History
« Last post by besilarius on Today at 02:31:30 PM »1829. Wilhelm Lorenz Sigismund von Schlichting was born, German soldier and military reformer who was sacked for criticizing military abilities of “Kaiser Bill” -
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany was fond of ending the army's annual maneuvers by leading a grand charge, usually of cavalry, but occasionally by infantry. For example, during the maneuvers of 1888 he led two divisions of cavalry to "rout" the "enemy." Of course, being a bulb of notably low wattage, he did occasionally cause problems. For example, in 1893 he became disoriented during the "battle" and led his cavalry against his own infantry. But the following year he was again in proper form, and led his side to victory at the head of 60 squadrons of cavalry.
His successes were occasionally helped along by having the "enemy" troops switch sides indicated by arm bands of different colors in the midst of one of his attacks.
In any case, in September of 1904, Wilhelm decided to close the annual maneuvers with a grand assault by the Guard Corps. With sword in hand mounted on his steed, the Kaiser led the packed infantry of the Guard in an unsupported assault against the entrenched troops of the IX Army Corps, driving them from their positions at the point of the bayonet, without a shot being fired.
As one major "captured" during the grand assault observed, "Why do you Guardsmen bother carrying weapons, since you don't need them?"
Of course, this was hardly the proper way to prepare the Imperial Army for war. And while his antics say much about Wilhelm, they say even more about the alleged professionalism of Alfred von Schlieffen, the Chief of the Great General Staff. Although he privately expressed reservations about the Kaiser's games, Schlieffen, another supposed military genius, made no effort to put an end to them. Surprisingly, it was the allegedly inept Helmuth von Moltke the Younger who managed to get the Kaiser him to stop meddling in maneuvers.
It seems that one day Moltke quietly approached his Supreme War Lord and resolved the whole matter. Apparently he said something like, "Although Your Majesty and I both know you really can command the troops brilliantly, there are some small minded-people who might claim we've rigged the game to make you look good." This argument seems to have convinced the Supreme War Lord to lay off meddling in the maneuvers..
1959. US Army veteran Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" premieres on CBS, runs for four seasons [Still on the air in reruns, and spawned two successor series]
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany was fond of ending the army's annual maneuvers by leading a grand charge, usually of cavalry, but occasionally by infantry. For example, during the maneuvers of 1888 he led two divisions of cavalry to "rout" the "enemy." Of course, being a bulb of notably low wattage, he did occasionally cause problems. For example, in 1893 he became disoriented during the "battle" and led his cavalry against his own infantry. But the following year he was again in proper form, and led his side to victory at the head of 60 squadrons of cavalry.
His successes were occasionally helped along by having the "enemy" troops switch sides indicated by arm bands of different colors in the midst of one of his attacks.
In any case, in September of 1904, Wilhelm decided to close the annual maneuvers with a grand assault by the Guard Corps. With sword in hand mounted on his steed, the Kaiser led the packed infantry of the Guard in an unsupported assault against the entrenched troops of the IX Army Corps, driving them from their positions at the point of the bayonet, without a shot being fired.
As one major "captured" during the grand assault observed, "Why do you Guardsmen bother carrying weapons, since you don't need them?"
Of course, this was hardly the proper way to prepare the Imperial Army for war. And while his antics say much about Wilhelm, they say even more about the alleged professionalism of Alfred von Schlieffen, the Chief of the Great General Staff. Although he privately expressed reservations about the Kaiser's games, Schlieffen, another supposed military genius, made no effort to put an end to them. Surprisingly, it was the allegedly inept Helmuth von Moltke the Younger who managed to get the Kaiser him to stop meddling in maneuvers.
It seems that one day Moltke quietly approached his Supreme War Lord and resolved the whole matter. Apparently he said something like, "Although Your Majesty and I both know you really can command the troops brilliantly, there are some small minded-people who might claim we've rigged the game to make you look good." This argument seems to have convinced the Supreme War Lord to lay off meddling in the maneuvers..
1959. US Army veteran Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" premieres on CBS, runs for four seasons [Still on the air in reruns, and spawned two successor series]
3
Conventions, Clubs, and Events / Re: Armchair Dragoons Fall Assembly 11-13 OCT '24 • CARY, NC
« Last post by bayonetbrant on Today at 11:56:07 AM »Fall Assembly 2024: Counting Down to the Convention!
🎲
The last big update before we hit the show next weekend
📆
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/events/cons/2024fa-countdown2/
🎲
The last big update before we hit the show next weekend
📆
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/events/cons/2024fa-countdown2/
4
The Modern World / Re: Armored brigade 2
« Last post by Barthheart on Today at 07:17:20 AM »Never played the first one. I have been watching this though.
If you really want a tactical level game you should try Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm. It’s really is the gold standard for mid-80s grand tactical combat.
I believe that’s that game you beat me 19 games out of 20 at
Oops!
5
The Modern World / Re: Armored brigade 2
« Last post by bob48 on Today at 06:32:09 AM »Close result, then? 
6
The Modern World / Re: Armored brigade 2
« Last post by Undercovergeek on Today at 06:30:46 AM »Never played the first one. I have been watching this though.
If you really want a tactical level game you should try Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm. It’s really is the gold standard for mid-80s grand tactical combat.
I believe that’s that game you beat me 19 games out of 20 at
7
The Modern World / Re: Armored brigade 2
« Last post by Barthheart on Today at 05:30:11 AM »Never played the first one. I have been watching this though.
If you really want a tactical level game you should try Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm. It’s really is the gold standard for mid-80s grand tactical combat.
If you really want a tactical level game you should try Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm. It’s really is the gold standard for mid-80s grand tactical combat.
8
The Modern World / Armored brigade 2
« Last post by Undercovergeek on Today at 03:27:57 AM »https://store.steampowered.com/app/1934300/Armored_Brigade_II/
Due this month I believe
Not our usual 4x shenanigans I know
Having been chewed up and spat out at the strategic level by BH I wonder if he fancies the tac level
Due this month I believe
Not our usual 4x shenanigans I know
Having been chewed up and spat out at the strategic level by BH I wonder if he fancies the tac level
9
Intel Dump / Re: Solo Wargaming Research
« Last post by bayonetbrant on Yesterday at 10:54:12 PM »Exploring Past Solo Wargaming Rankings
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/research/solo24-pastsurveys/
Quote
It didn’t take long to discover that Avalon Hill had indeed compiled “an informal rating of the suitability of our titles for solitaire and play-by-mail activity” way back in 1984
https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/research/solo24-pastsurveys/
10
Sci-fi & Fantasy Warfare / Re: Banquet for Fools
« Last post by Martok on Yesterday at 10:14:47 PM »That actually looks interesting; added to my wishlist. Nice find, Bawb!