Shadow Empire - what say you?

[Undercovergeek]

Right........

The raiders in the west attack and inflict 200 casualties on me and 500 on themselves - im still in blitzkrieg mode so have no defensive value 

Propeller research is complete and i can build an airfield if required - long way down the list of stuff to do. High velocity guns are discovered, these are for artillery and tanks so can take a backseat for now

The buggy uncovered some ruins last turn that gave me 11 free machinery - 2 of these are gobbled up by the metal mine leaving 9 in the bank, handy to sell or use well keep them for now

One of my strategem cards is 'sentinels' - spend a fate point and play the card providing me with some kick ass walker units that i send south to deal with those raiders who havent moved for a while

My money situation isnt dire - im losing about 8 credits a turn but it will become a problem so ill look at the internal council next turn and maybe fire that up

Im suffering with a water shortage problem - the mine produces 800 but is only putting out 450 - the asset info box says im only paying for 41% of the production 

i dont know what that means - ive increased the workers salaries and well see what happens

[Huw the Poo]

It's probably not worker happiness, although you can check that by clicking on the zone tab in the array of icons at the bottom of the screen. Worker happiness is just below population happiness.

It's more likely there's some resource it isn't getting enough of. Click the assets tab - again at the bottom - and either find it in the list or change it to "assets only in this hex" and click the hex where your water mine is. You'll easily find the card for it then. Click on the card and you'll see on the right a full log of what it did in the turn, and if there's a shortage of anything you'll see it there. Actually I think you'll see it on the card itself; something will be highlighted yellow or red.

All the information you need in this game is given to you...somewhere. It's just a matter of finding it. The UI of the game could be better, although given the complexity of the game I'm not sure how much better it could be.

[Undercovergeek]

I’ll check when I’m in the game next buddy thanks

[Martok]

Im suffering with a water shortage problem - the mine produces 800 but is only putting out 450 - the asset info box says im only paying for 41% of the production 

i dont know what that means - ive increased the workers salaries and well see what happens

A pity you can't just click on the "41%", and it either prompts a pop-up telling what exactly the issue is, or it at least takes you directly to the numbers breakdown so you can see for yourself where the problem lies. 

All the information you need in this game is given to you...somewhere. It's just a matter of finding it. The UI of the game could be better, although given the complexity of the game I'm not sure how much better it could be.

I agree with this in its entirety. 

I wish info (or at least certain kinds of info) were more accessible and/or easier to find, but there's just so dang *much* of it in Shadow Empire, that realistically I'm not sure what can/could be done to improve that aspect. 

[Huw the Poo]

So the nonaligned forces on my northwestern border tried to attack again this turn. My battalion is about as entrenched as it can be at this point, better armed, and in a forest. They stood no chance. Despite outnumbering me at least two to one, they lost 600 men and I lost none. It's refreshing to play a game where overwhelming tactical advantage actually means something. I've played plenty where, in a similar situation, I'd lose a quarter of what the enemy lost too because reasons.

Lack of IP continues to be a problem and I've decided it's my most immediate short term goal. They're so essential to almost everything you do I just have to boost the output. The easiest way to achieve it that I know of is to build an industrial facility at Photoglacier city. To do that I need a lot of metal. The price on the open market is extortionate and there isn't enough available anyway, so I'm going to build a metal mine at a good location just south of the city. Of course, to do that I need yet more I bloody P, albeit a lot less than to construct the industrial facility. So all I have to do....sigh....is wait a few turns then start construction.

The good news is that ruins development is getting a 25% bonus due to being in a good scavenging area and a further 16% bonus from the governor of Photoglacier. That means I'm now bringing in more than 100t of metal and about 14t of rare metals per turn. I'll soon be able to build all the machinery I can eat, and in a pinch I can sell rare metals on the open market if I need a quick cash injection.

I love how this game gives you loads of different options to solve problems!

[Martok]

Ugh.  You and geek are really making it hard to resist stepping back into this game.   

[Undercovergeek]

Ugh.  You and geek are really making it hard to resist stepping back into this game. 

 

The autorifle is discovered - better weapons for the infantry so we send some research that way.

After surrounding the forces to the west we use the blitzkrieg advantage and push for destruction - the forces are wiped out leaving us free reign to expand west.

The buggy forces to the south net us some Galactic age rifle forces - serious hard men here and they are added to the 1st battalion. To the south west are the aurora faction and we make peace with them for now to secure this border

The interior council is established - the level 5 governor of Seattle, our capital, awaits the promotion to director and then we can play the increase income tax card with confidence.

It turns out it wasnt the water mine not working properly it was the agri-dome not receiving enough water - and upon this discovery i dont actually know where our 900 water is coming from 

The metal mine is awaiting 600 workers and 120 IP points - should be 3 turns - and then we will start construction of the light industry to increase the IP

Enjoying it very much so far - i find myself thinking about turns between turns which is only a good thing

[Huw the Poo]

Geek we're going to be throwing sticks and stones at you by comparison, by the time we clash! 

The first of what will probably be a few quiet turns. I'm just storing IPs in order to build the metal mine so that I have the metal to build an industrial facility to ultimately build even more IPs!

Another attack from the northwest, another 600 enemy killed with no losses.

Unfortunately it's a different story down south where that militia unit appeared. We only need to hold the hex for one more turn, but wouldn't you know it, an unidentified enemy unit just appeared in a neighbouring hex. I've no idea of their composition but my militia unit has, predictably, been whittled away almost to nothing by starvation, so if they attack I've had it. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

My secretary offered to form another council and I chose the economic council, because according to the manual (which is irritatingly vague here) it should help with economical issues. My treasury still takes in less than it pays out each turn usually, except when we're able to sell water, so I'd like to do what I can to give it a shot in the arm. I duly played a strategem to recruit a new leader: some 18 year old girl as it happens. Probably not the best choice to direct a council but beggars can't be choosers. She doesn't have any skills whatsoever except improvisation, hahaha. Hopefully she'll acquire some down the road.

I immediately regretted the decision though. I realised afterwards that my already thin allocation of BPs will now be spread out across three councils instead of two.

So, the priority list now looks like this, in order of importance:

1. Build metal mine
2. Build industrial facility
3. Build admin buildings for more BPs
4. Build supply network

In previous games I've always concentrated on the supply network first in order to support my units as they range far and wide. This time they're all staying near the city to maintain borders so it hasn't been nearly so important. It's a weird feeling not to be obsessing over logistics for a change.

[Huw the Poo]

Unfortunately it's a different story down south where that militia unit appeared. We only need to hold the hex for one more turn, but wouldn't you know it, an unidentified enemy unit just appeared in a neighbouring hex.

Well, that unit attacked and we duly lost the hex. Apparently a severely depleted battalion of 200 foot on the brink of starving to death can't hold out against 2,000 well fed troops. Who'd have thought it?!

The only other thing of note this turn is I decided to start construction of the metal mine early. The reason being with my continued investment into the public economy (which feeds into the private one) I'm worried that the private citizens might claim the hex for themselves. If they do, I'd still take some metal as service tax, but it would only be a fraction of the total mine output. Screw that - I want it all! So I'll just have to pay for it all. I have enough resources to complete one turn of construction, and the second and final turn will have to be spread out over three turns because I won't have enough IPs by that point.

[Undercovergeek]

The interior council is established and I move the level 5 governor out of the capital and into the directorship there - I move a level 3 guy I was recently forced to employ but he turned out good into the supreme council and the now grumpy ex supreme director is put on the front lines where she can’t do too much damage

I didn’t receive any research or discovery news this turn and on investigation realised I’ve discovered everything I can at this level but need to research 3 of the discoveries before I can move up a level - I’ve done two so it for the high velocity gun before we can move into more swanky stuff

Metal mine is slowly coming along - I have the machinery in place, the workers in place and 190 of the 250 ip points - then it will be light industry and a water well

I have quite a large expanse of land now but can’t get out any further without roads so I’m waiting for more Ip to improve the logistics

I’m hoping to find precious metals somewhere

[Undercovergeek]

A couple of turns later and metal is up from 55 to 300 - the mine is complete - we shift construction to industry to get those valuable IP points - it needs 500 metal a turn so therell be some backlog - but were good with everything else

Ive entered the downward spiral of doom with an unhappy advisor - every turn or so hell make crappy decisions that the only way to counter is to reduce the relationship further - its the guy sent to the front lines so a swift death may come soon

Both raider forces in the west and south have been cleared away, the relationship still stands with the minor to the south west and were slowly pushing out our borders - looking for natural water and precious metals - a mystery force has moved in and closed our path to the automoton so well be heading back that way - new IP points soon will create a road route back to the ruin

The turboprop engine has been discovered which is in the next tier of discoveries so were moving on - im reading up on modelling new infantry now the autorifle has been fully researched

[Huw the Poo]

All quiet for me for a while. My metal mine is more than half built but production has now stalled due to lack of IPs. It will be at least a couple more turns before it's online. At the moment the only advantage I have over Geek is my early discovery of rare metals, and from what he's said via email I'm probably a lot better off credits-wise too. If only you could buy IPs!

The nonaligned forces to the northwest continue to dash themselves against my heavily entrenched forces. Suits me fine; I get XP for now, and an easy path forward later when I'm in a position to start building roads.

[Martok]

Nice.   


Apologies if I missed it, but what type of planet are you guys playing on? 

[Huw the Poo]

Next time I play I'll grab a screenshot of it, but I can at least tell you it's Siwa-class. Since we're both noobs I thought we could probably do without a really harsh environment.

[Martok]

Ha.  No, a Siwa-class (or other wet-ish) world makes sense.  The game is already rather unforgiving as it is!