Let's Play Stellaris: Part 38 - Passing of a Legend

"A legend may have passed but now we forge new legends." - Admiral Numeria Manilius

Stardate: 04-07-2417

The Cartel's victory over the Unified Uriy Suns had proven to be a massive boon to their economy, cutting the projected time it would take to recover from the war drastically. The military pushed for the expansion to continue, to strike whilst the iron was hot but the board of directors over-ruled the admirals and generals. In part, it had been due to planned retrofits and potentially further expanding the military to include a fourth fleet mostly it was due to a myriad of factors prompting a more cautious approach.

Of those factors, the most obvious was the fact that all their rivals now were engaged in a web of alliances and defensive pacts meaning engaging one empire might see the Cartel fighting on multiple fronts. This was seen as a disaster waiting to happen, as even the war against the Uriy Suns who had been seen as a weaker military power, still managed to ensure it a very costly campaign for the Cartel to prosecute.

The lesser known factor had been the whispers and rumours circulating the galaxy of potentially unknown threats, most were naturally dismissed as typical trader ghost stories. The Homolog Continuum's constant referral to a threat they seemed always reluctant to name had the board voting unanimously on a 'wait and see' approach to the situation.

The ruins of a massive precursor art installation that dwarves even the Cartels' vast starbases. Whilst plans are in place to repair it the cost is immeasurable.

As 2420 dawned the Cartel's economy was growing in leaps and bounds as the reserves previously depleted during the subjugation of the Uriy Suns were replenished and excess resources sold to the highest bidders. Alloys were purchased and immediately put to use reinforcing all four of the Cartel's fleets. Construction ships and mining stations soon filled the former pre-cursor system claiming it's vast resources further fuelling the Cartel's ever-expanding industries. Research also became a leading pursuit during this period as every world among the Cartel's slowly expanding empire was soon home to vast research complexes staffed by the finest minds and funded almost in excess.

The hope was to turn the gap in technology between the Cartel and its rivals into a vast gulf ensuring any wars they started or were the target of would be vastly in their favour. It was predicted to take almost ten years to build the military up and a further five to potentially refit them with the technology and weapons that soon made up a vast and terrifying arsenal.

In 2422, the Skanuri Bloc a rival as long-standing as the Uriy Suns had been, began a worrying trend of expansion along the Cartel border. It appeared that not only the New Dyss Khanate had made use of natural wormholes to expand. Whilst a far larger empire in terms of the territory it laid claim to their constant wars had left them in a weakened state as military intelligence and underworld connections confirmed to the board they were overall much weaker than the Cartel in every sense of the word. Requests from the Oligarch personally for them to cease their expansion along the border were outright ignored making the Cartel's next target all too clear.

A natural wormhole along the border of Cartel space that allowed the rival Skanuri Bloc to expand, bypassing the hyper-lane network.

Later in that very year news reached the Cartel that the Prossnakan's a once mighty race who sought to destroy all others in the name of their gods had been utterly destroyed. All that remained of their people were now scattered refugee's sheltering on Cartel worlds and a tiny puppet state in the middle of the Galactic Ymacera Assembly. Whilst a worrying trend, their sharing of a border with the Skanuri Bloc had analysts among the Cartel predicting they would turn on each other as they both believed they were the rightful rulers of the galaxy. A pre-emptive strike was briefly considered but with most of the fleet still under construction and retrofits pending a defensive posture was adopted. The fortress starbases of Hagawa and Bitrius guarded the only known hyper-lanes deeper into Cartel space and were still among the largest defensive structures in Cartel space, each commanding as much firepower as an entire fleet in their own right.

After 113 years of service, almost 60 of them at the head of the first fleet, Admiral Sexta Lamponius was laid to rest as a hero of the Cartel. Having fought in every major engagement of the last half-century against pirates, rampant drones, crystalline monsters and even the Uriy Suns the strategy and tactics of the venerable admiral became required reading at every military academy. A statue of whom was erected alongside the late Oligarch on the path leading to the corporate headquarters which soon became dubbed the path of heroes. Admiral Numeria Manilius took up the mantle of commanding the first fleet much to the discontent of far older admirals hoping to take the honoured position.

The closing days of 2427 saw the Cartel receiving yet another baffling request from the enigmatic Homolog Continuum to colonise a planet within the heavily fortified Bitrius system. The request was accepted with no small amount of confusion though before the Oligarch could even ask why the comm-link had been cut. Baffled even as a colony ship was constructed and settlers enlisted the commander of the Targon station black site was told to more highly prioritise finding the threat that had the Homolog so concerned.

Bitrius III, a continental world in the fortress system of Bitrius and also the target of a colonisation request from the Homolog Continuum.

With the entire military being in a state of flux as ships were constructed, crews trained and assigned to fleets the navy looked set to double in size over the next decade. Whatever force sought to challenge the Cartel next, they were ready to face it with no small amount of confidence. Whilst the future may always be an uncertainty preliminary plans were made for the next campaign, the Skanuri Bloc had a long history of hurling insults at the Cartel since they had first encountered one another. Soon, they would be made to pay for it, whether they realised it or not.

If you missed the last part you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 37 - Rebuilding

"Whatever has the Homolog worried. Find it before it finds us." - Oligarch Septima Egnatius addressing <<redacted>> 

Stardate: 11-10-2407

With the war concluded and the Unified Uriy Suns being forced to accept becoming a corporate subsidiary of the Cartel they once again turned their attention inward. Whilst it was without a doubt an overwhelming victory it was the most costly military campaign to date. Dozens of corvette and destroyer class vessels had been lost in the years of fighting and nearly five entire divisions of ground forces had been lost taking the Uriy Suns capital. It was decided by the board to adopt a defensive mindset whilst losses were replenished and new technologies integrated into the fleet.

However, the Uriy Suns had been an easy target, to begin with, given their isolationist tendencies whomever their next target would be would not be quite so easy to deal with. The possibilities were debated at length but Oligarch Septima Egnatius was far more cautious with the New Dyss Khanate an enormous potential threat and the Galactic Ymacera Assembly ever eager to hurl insults there were clearly no easy choices.

Whilst the debate was furious on both sides it was eventually decided to hold off on any further aggressive expansion pending a complete refit of the navy as well as the expansion of all three current fleets with plans for a fourth being drawn up. Also with the new additions to Cartel territory a defensive plan was also put into place to shore up what the board dubbed the outer-systems. The core of Cartel space remained the highest priority for any form of defence spending.

The war and the preparations for it had been costly, depleting the Cartel's vast reserves in order to fund their growing military but the subsidisation of the Uriy Suns proved to be a massive boost allowing the Cartel to quickly recover and begin the monumental task of rebuilding the fleets.

The galaxy at large, sees power consolidating with larger empires and smaller ones being consumed.

The economies quick recovery ensured that the efforts of the Cartel could be directed elsewhere after only a year, with Oligarch Septima Egnatius opting to fund a massive increase in the scientific output of the Cartel. This was fuelled by the increasing realisation that they were for all intents and purposes standing alone with their association status among the Golden Alliance being no more than a glorified non-aggression pact by the board and military command alike.

With that in mind and knowing they could never match the numbers of the rapidly growing empire of the Dyss nor ever be accepted into any kind of true federation, they opted to widen the technological gap further. Colonia Dwarvian originally slated to become a vast urban world soon became instead a world dedicated to research, with laboratory complexes rivalling the size of some city-states.

The initiative soon gained an official title within the Cartel merely dubbed 'Plan: Think Tank' it was put into action midway through 2409, with every world being required to construct and staff at least one research complex or at the very least provide materials needed to support those of other worlds.

The victorious first fleet awaiting much-needed repairs and fresh ships following the Uriy Sun's campaign.

Technologies once thought the realm of fantasy soon became more feasible, projects previously thought to take decades to research were now possible within years. The pace at which new technology was researched during this period was immense and quickly looked to outpace all but the vast machine intelligence of the Prime Wardens. The public face painted it as a technological golden age, proving the Cartel's superiority intellectually as well as militarily for all to see. However, behind closed doors plans were in motion to hone the already vast fleet to the razor's edge of technology with the New Dyss Khanate being the most likely next target.

In 2412, research into the precursor race known as the Yuht finally made significant progress after centuries of it being no more than a scientific curiosity. Relics and ruins were scoured and all the information they had collated and catalogued finally moving it from mere history to potentially profitable, scientists had located the system of the Yuht's homeworld.

A previously undiscovered hyper-lane link in the Jor Mon Dir system near the heart of Cartel space was located and a science ship immediately deployed to investigate. The Yuuhtan system proved to be well worth the effort of discovering if not for learning the fate of the Yuuht then the vast quantities of resources the system held.

The fate of the Yuuht was something of a cautionary tale, beginning as explorers hunting for other intelligent life for a long time in vain they eventually stumbled across a younger race whose very nature terrified them. Opting to destroy them rather than co-exist the Yuuht attempted to wipe them out only to be beaten back by technologies the Yuuht had not even considered and were eventually obliterated entirely by the younger race. The only remnant of this vast empire was the remains of ships in orbit and the bombed-out remnants of the Yuuht's arcologies.

A science ship examines the broken remnants of the Yuht homeworld. 

The Public Relations department spun it as a tale to never under-estimate an opponent, something which resonated after the war with the Uriy Suns but the board of directors and military command were more concerned. What had happened to this younger race who had annihilated an entire species and if they still existed at all.

As 2417 began the most enigmatic of the Cartel's neighbours, the Homolog Continuum once again proved to be a boon as they granted the Cartel three of their escort class vessels, these destroyer sized vessels rivalled even the Aurora class cruisers of the Cartel in firepower and endurance. Whilst certainly grateful of the added firepower Oligarch Septima Egnatius along with the board began to worry. Whilst their goals for the last two hundred years had always been convoluted a clear pattern was beginning to emerge they were being prepared to fight or at least survive some unnamed threat.

All attempts to gain further information as to the nature of this threat were all ignored by the Homolog Continuum leaving the Cartel wondering if they were just faulty robots or this threat was truly real. Likely the most secretive plan to date and given no more than the vague title of 'Directive 1' the Black Ops Site aboard Targon station was given the singular goal of finding this unnamed threat so as to better prepare a course of action. The galaxy wide criminal network was also put into action for the same purpose although no-one outside the board of directors knew the purpose of Directive 1.

Whatever it was, they wanted to know about it sooner rather than later.

The Homolog Continuum's latest gift of three Escort class destroyers, carrying almost as much firepower as the Cartel's Constantine class battleships.

If you missed the last part you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 36 - Old Rivals

"We make our own destiny." - Engraved on the statue of Oligarch Proculus Manilius

Stardate: 07-03-2396

As the 24th century neared it's twilight the Cartel was preparing to go on the offensive, with the first fleet poised to strike deep into Unified Uriy Suns territory and the newly reinforced third fleet prepared to blunt any counter strikes. It was hoped a show of force along the border would convince the Uriy Suns of capitulating to the demands of the ultimatum they had prepared to give long in advance.

With the first and third fleets fully assembled, ground troops poised for the invasion the ultimatum was finally delivered to the Unified Uriy Suns empire as 2399 dawned. Despite military intelligence and underworld spy rings confirming the Uriy Suns was likely to lose a conflict they stubbornly rejected the offer of becoming a subsidiary. Only days into the new year the Fox Cartel declared war on their long-standing rivals with the goal of forcing them into a subsidiary arrangement within their corporate hierarchy.

The first fleet clashes with a Uriy Suns fleet in the opening days of the war.

In a matter of weeks, the Cartel's first fleet had torn apart the Uriy Sun's border starbases and battered aside one of their fleets with frightening ease. As ground troops and transport ships were pulled from the rear to begin their first landing, the third fleet moved to repel the first counter-attacks into Cartel space.

The fighting grew intense, encompassing almost five entire star-systems as the first fleet pushed deeper into Uriy Suns space whilst the third fleet fought tirelessly to repulse the near constant counter-attacks. The Uriy Suns threw their fleets valiantly against the first and third fleets but it quickly became apparent the Cartel's technological superiority was too much for their ships to overcome. The third fleet at several points in their defence of the Foldora and Orym systems was engaged by three enemy fleets at once pushing them to their limit before the first fleet arrived to assist.

The third fleet is pushed to their limit as Uriy Sun's fleets attempt to push through into Cartel space.

Losses began to mount as the war entered its second year as Uriy Sun's fleets seemed determined to continue the fight even as every engagement proved a crushing defeat to their dwindling navy. The fighting continued relentlessly even into the third year of the war however it seemed the Uriy Suns defeat was inevitable. Every engagement was a crushing defeat as their fleets attempted to gain inroads into the Cartel only to be crushed by the third fleet all the while the first fleet carved a swathe of destruction toward their homeworld. A selective orbital bombardment was nought but a prelude to Cartel ground forces landing in order to wrest control of their capital away by force.

Even after weeks of orbital bombardment, the defending Uriy Sun's garrisons fought on with an almost alarming zeal, as Cartel ground forces took significant losses as the fighting moved viciously from street to street but as with every battle so far in the war they eventually lost. Their homeworld was occupied and yet they still refused to surrender to the Cartel and their demands causing the first fleet to press ever onward, rampaging almost unopposed through Uriy Suns space.

The first fleet bombards the Uriy Suns homeworld to prepare it for a ground invasion.

The continuing success of the ongoing war, almost four and a half years in was marred by a tragedy on the home-front as Oligarch Proculus Manilius succumbed to old age at 110 years old. His passing was mourned and a statue erected on the road leading toward the central corporate headquarters to celebrate a Fox who had pulled the Cartel from the brink of obscurity and moulded it into an economic and military power to be reckoned with. As Oligarch Septima Egnatius took office he vowed to continue where Proculus Manilius had left off.

Any spark of home the Uriy Suns may have had that the loss of their oligarch would demoralise the Cartel was quickly quashed as the first and third fleets began pushing even more aggressively. Despite the third fleet having lost all of it's escort and picket vessels the remaining cruisers and battleships fought on throwing the increasingly rag-tag Uriy Suns fleets back again and again. The first fleet was showing signs of wear and tear from the long campaign but system after system fell to their overwhelming firepower regardless. The Uriy Suns defeat seemed to be now almost a foregone conclusion.

The first fleet engages the remnants of the Uriy Sun's fleet around an ancient derelict orbiting a blackhole.

As the first and third fleets pursued the battered remains of the Uriy Sun's fleets handfuls of vessels attempted to retake their home-system but it was too little too late. In the early months of 2407, a campaign over six years long came to an end as the Unified Uriy Suns capitulated becoming a subsidiary of the Fox Cartel. Their longest standing rival was now firmly under their control was greeted by celebrations across all of the Cartel's core worlds.

It had been a long and bloody campaign, far more so than the board of directors had hoped however they were victorious and even as celebrations continued Cartel leadership was already planning it's next move. The first and third fleets would be repaired, strengthened and lessons learned from the war with the Uriy Suns taken to heart

If you missed the last part find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 35 - Resurgent

"Those savages would be fools to attack us here." - Commander of Hagawa Defence Station.

Stardate: 01-12-2387

With the dawning of 2388, the galaxy was still tearing itself apart around the Cartel as they sat poised to defend their territory from the rapidly expanding Dyss Horde. Long range reconnaissance reports did eventually shed some light on the way in which they had opened up the second front against the Golden Alliance with whom the Cartel was still nominally associated with. A pair of wormholes the Cartel had long ago deemed too high a risk to use were how they had done it, a fact that the Cartel kept very much in their mind for possible future exploitation.

However, they were more concerned with weathering the storm raging around them as border fortresses along with the first and third fleets remained on high alert. It seemed fate was on the Cartel's side as in the final half of 2388 the Great Khan was defeated in open battle, choosing to remain aboard his flagship as it was destroyed rather than escape. The ensuing power vacuum had the formerly united horde turning on one another essentially ending the immediate threat that faced the Cartel.

Whilst plans were debated and considered as to whether to take the fight to the fractured horde the first and third fleets were retasked. The third fleet was moved to Targon station making New Vulpinus it's home as the first fleet was assigned a second of the newly designed Vulpinus class carriers, its goal to wipe out the crystalline menace in the Karazit system. Even as the need to fortify became less urgent and the Cartel more able to focus on achieving its own goals the fracture of the Dyss Horde was largely prevented as a new great khan took control of the now vast empire. The initial concern didn't entirely fade even as their new leader seemed more interested in consolidation than conquest, renaming themselves into the New Dyss Khanate.

The early months of 2389 saw the ever enigmatic Homolog Continuum sending blueprints, schematics and technical specifications of a planetary shielding technology. Whilst it was generally well received the Cartel had long harboured their misgivings about the true motives of this ancient race.

The first fleet returns to Karazit, intent on redeeming themselves after the 'Pulsar Incident'.

As 2391 began, the Fox Cartel first fleet returned to the Karazit system where years prior they had been defeated by a massed fleet of crystalline beings. New ships, weapons and technology alongside an entirely new approach to fleet warfare and doctrine was hoped to win where they had previously failed. The battle around the pulsar lasted for over a month but whereas before the Cartel's ships had been worn down by the sheer weight of numbers, they pressed ever forward as a cohesive whole leaving nought but shards of their crystalline foes in their wake. For only three ships the first fleet obliterated everything including the strange structure at the heart of the system.

With the most immediate threats dealt with the first fleet returned to Capella for repairs as science ships examined every square inch of space within the Karazit system finding it to be a veritable treasure trove of information. Most concerning, however, was a spatial rift near the pulsar the best Cartel minds were tasked with observing and studying it as the board of directors and military command began discussing their next possible moves.

The New Dyss Khanate was quite possibly the largest bordering threat but entering into war with them was deemed to be too costly an endeavour, the fortress systems of Hagawa and Bitrius deemed enough of a deterrent to prevent them from taking Cartel space with any kind of ease. As was historically the case they turned their attention to their longest standing rivals, the Unified Uriy Suns.

The New Dyss Khanate, half of it at least. A greater threat or a potential ally?

However rather than simply attempting yet another military conquest in the strictest sense, they would be offered an ultimatum. Become a subsidiary of the Cartel's corporate structure or face their military might. An idea which was all but unanimously approved when in the early months of 2392 the New Dyss Khanate and Fox Cartel entered into a defensive pact which all but assured their safety for the immediate future.

As the first and third fleets were again deployed along the Uriy Suns border to lend more weight to their ultimatum the rift in the Karazit system proved to be a boon. Mineral-laden rocks seemed to drift through it providing the already extensive Cartel economy with a further boost albeit only temporarily as after only a week it dissipated entirely.

A carefully worded ultimatum was crafted over the weeks it took the first and third fleets to reach their respective staging areas. The first fleet was planned to attack deep into Uriy Suns space with their primary objective to occupy all starbases and destroy any fleets and ships they came across. The third fleet was deployed defensively in the Peya system to ward off any retaliatory strikes from the systems not possessing a defensive starbase.

Just as the ultimatum was about to be sent science ships exploring the Karazit system repaired a civilian comm buoy intercepting a transmission from a civilian transport whose passengers and crew had been taken prisoner by a so-called group of 'Ransomeers'. Deemed an acceptable risk the third fleet was hastily redeployed to rescue the civilians. Delaying the plans for the possible war for almost a full year.

The third fleet attempts to rescue civilians captured by pirates.

The year 2395 marked a tragedy, as the third fleet attempted to rescue the captured civilians the station was destroyed before they could make their escape to the life-pods as had been the plan. With nought they could do to help them they obliterated the rag-tag band of pirates entirely before returning toward their original staging area. A period of mourning was declared and plans put on hold to fully assess what had transpired and how the civilian transport had been captured in the first place.

Troops were trained and deployed as enlistment spiked following the tragedy making initial projections of the possible conflict to come far more optimistic. The plan was further delayed when it was decided upon to expand the third fleet ahead of any potential conflict in order to potentially have the sheer military might of the Cartel convince the Uriy Suns of simply agreeing to the Cartel's demands. Something they would find the answer to soon enough as the threat of the Dyss faded the Cartel became a resurgent power intent on taking by force what it could not with negotiation.

If you missed the last part you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 34 - A Time of Chaos

"We mistook them for pirates, vagrants, no more than thugs. We underestimated them and we may yet pay the price for our arrogance." - Unknown 1st Fleet Captain.

Stardate: 15-10-2371

As the year 2371 drew toward its end the Cartel had heavily fortified its border systems and was prepared to defend its space with all the military might it could muster. Having wiped out a neighbouring empire in a matter of months leaving the Mith-Fell Shipping Alliance as no more than a handful of refugee's sheltered on New Vulpinus it was thought the Cartel would be their next target.

The rate at which the Dyss Horde was expanding had many among the Cartel's upper echelons concerned that they would soon have seized all the unclaimed space nearby having a few among the board of directors push for a pre-emptive strike. This was quickly dismissed by the Admiralty as being too great a risk without first having assessed the Dyss Hordes military capabilities with the Oligarch concurring that a defensive posture was most prudent. So they waited with nothing else they could risk doing for fear of making themselves more vulnerable.

In the early months of 2373, the first fleet was hastily redeployed to the Hagawa system, two of the great Khan's fleets detected approaching the vulnerable system as the assumption they would take the shortest route to Cartel space was proven to be untrue. Their mistake had been made and exploited as the small outpost was little match for the vast armada that approached. The first fleet was trapped and given the size of the Khan's fleet an interception engagement without starbase and defence platform fire support was deemed suicidal giving the Dyss the initiative.

A Dyss Horde armada enters Cartel space headed by a massive flagship.

Much to Admiral Lamponius' surprise after taking out the outpost in Hagawa the fleet turned around and left along the course they had arrived. Whilst baffling the Cartel chose to use the extra time wisely, reinforcing the systems neighbouring Hagawa before risking reclaiming and fortifying it as another bastion system, the expense deemed more than justified by the board of directors.

Despite the obvious threat posed to the rest of the galaxy by the Dyss Horde the Skanuri Bloc was seemingly determined to wipe out the Prossnakan Star Hunters for good as refugees trickled onto New Vulpinus at an alarming rate. It seemed the Skanuri Bloc did not take the Dyss Horde as a serious threat as the Cartel did.

At the dawn of 2376, the third fleet was founded in order to promote better strategic flexibility and combat the growing threat of the Dyss Horde with its home base being in Targon to guard New Vulpinus. Despite the risks and due to listening posts in Bir Zun not seeing any sign of the Dyss for months since the initial raid into Hagawa the system was reclaimed and construction on another heavily fortified starbase was begun.

It was late into 2377 when after months of bad news such as the utter destruction of the Prossnakan Star Hunters that it seemed the Cartel would have some breathing room. Whilst the great Khan was a much-vaunted strategist a rival clan, the Husko Raiders somehow managed to defeat the Khan in battle, however, the Khan escaped his return was of course fully expected. It did, however, give the Cartel time enough to shore up its defences and perform necessary retrofits to its fleets.

Bitrius Starbase commanded almost as much firepower as the 1st and 3rd fleets combined.

Only days after the first fleet had been retrofit did the new reach the Cartel that the great Khan had assembled a new armada. In an attempt to buy time for construction crews in the Hagawa system the first fleet was deployed to defend them, Bitrius now being deemed able to stand on its own long enough for the fleet to arrive should the need arise. Both the first and third fleets took up defensive positions in Hagawa as they prepared to repel any incursions.

Intelligence reached the Cartel however that the Dyss Horde were engaged on a second front elsewhere with the Golden Alliance federation. Having seemingly used their nomadic nature to their advantage they had slipped through other empires space long ago and were now tearing their way through the Alvothari Hegemony and a rival corporation Fiiral TransStellar. The Dyss Horde seemed more cautious in their advance as the first fleet attempted several times to engage smaller fleets moving along the border unsuccessfully.

Even as the rest of the galaxy seemed more concerned with tearing one another to pieces the Prime Wardens reached out to the Cartel offering a research exchange which was gratefully accepted by the Cartel. The reasoning was fairly simple to understand as the Prime Wardens were understood to be a form of machine intelligence meaning they adopted an outlook of cold logic to every interaction.

With the Cartel poised to repel any incursions from the Dyss, research had continued at a break-neck speed as plans were drawn up for the first Cartel battleships. The Constantine class was the first of them, built around the doctrine of superior firepower, it bristled with plasma cannons, railguns and proton launchers. The second design was the largest carrier class vessel ever conceived by the Cartel's shipwrights, it housed cavernous hangars and multiple wings of strike craft whilst also heavily armed with flak batteries and the Cartel's signature plasma cannons it was aptly named after their homeworld, Vulpinus.

A Constantine class battleship and Vulpinus class carrier leave Capella shipyards to join the 1st fleet.

It was at this point the Cartel decided to weigh its options, would they simply hold their ground? Hoping that their massive defensive installations and fleets could weather the storm or would they challenge the Dyss Hordes unchecked expansion? One thing was certain however the galaxy would never be the same again.

If you missed the last part you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 33 - A New Threat Emerges

"It is here we make our stand." - 1st Fleet Admiral Sexta Lamponius

Stardate: 10-01-2356

With the defeat in the Karazit system still fresh in their minds, the Cartel decided it was best to entirely rework their overall approach toward fleet warfare, for months the sensor logs were picked apart by military analysts and shipwrights. Given the Cartel now knew they were likely to be vastly outnumbered in any future engagement it was decided upon that the Cunning class corvette would be removed from frontline fleet operations and instead have it assigned to patrol and anti-piracy roles. It's very design was aggressive and risky meaning that in any engagement any losses were usually among the Cunning class, ship designers and scientists were then tasked with providing alternatives as technology became available to provide a cost-effective solution. 

For several years the Cartel's economy grew and showed no signs of stopping, the diplomatic component of plan 'Olive Branch' was deemed a failure by comparison. Their extensive use of the galactic underworld to help accomplish its goals was not something the galactic community at large was willing to forgive or forget so easily meaning that after all, it was them against the galaxy. With this realisation guiding them it had been decided among the board of directors to expand outward one final time. The systems of Hagawa, Rixim and Bitrius would be claimed for their resources, the Targon system cleared by the first fleet before their fateful engagement would be colonised, the pristine Gaia world had many competing offers for how best to exploit the resources picked up by the initial survey.

The Gaia world discovered in the Targon system becomes a rallying symbol for the Cartel.

The infamous Karazit system would also be claimed and any remotely viable worlds marked for terraforming as the Cartel began utilising it's vast and growing economic might to push further into the galaxy. Branch officers and front companies were also once again re-opened before rival corporate interests could entirely shut them out of the market, illegal research labs were the primary focus of this, as plan 'Olive Branch' was now deemed to be concluded they turned their gaze once more to their neighbours with a more critical eye. It was during this period that tensions began to rise between the Cartel and both the Skanuri Bloc and the Prossnakan Star Hunters, whilst the latter was far from a surprise the Skanuri Bloc after several wars with the Prossnakan were clearly getting a taste for conquest. Whilst it was deemed unlikely they would pose a threat within the next fifty years due to their relative positions within the hyper-lane network meaning they'd have to deal with the Yeon Progenitors before ever being able to reach the Cartel's outer most systems.

During this period Proculus Manilius managed to secure a second term as Oligarch, many among the Cartel attributing this to the vast wealth and economic golden age he had helped usher in that still showed no signs of stopping. The settling of the Gaia world formed the core of his re-election speech as it became a rallying symbol which was further solidified when it was named New Vulpinus. It was a world so pristine and suited for colonisation that the lines of people enlisting for a spot on the colony ship were said to be several kilometres long at their peak.

The station within the Targon system home of New Vulpinus was also decided on becoming the centre of the Cartel's military command structure as well as being the new home base of a planned future third fleet. Border systems were heavily fortified as once again the Skanuri Bloc and Prossnakan Star Hunters declare war on one another however the Skanuri Bloc's signing of a non-aggression pact with the Unified Uriy Suns, the Cartel's longest standing rival was a far greater concern among the upper echelons of the Cartel military causing plans to be drawn up to potentially take out the Uriy Suns before they could form any kind of alliance.

The Janna Fortress, the most heavily defended choke-point in Cartel space.

With the galaxies collective attention focused on old rivalries and their own plans, it took the entire galaxy by surprise when on stardate 13-10-2368 the warring tribes of the Dyss marauders united under a great khan, Gogg. They had up until that point been considered a nuisance, no better than pirates or scavengers and were as likely to war among themselves as to attack any of the other races. Those days were seemingly over, emergency meetings between the Cartel's board of directors and military command lasted for days as a course of action was decided upon in order to safeguard the Cartel.

The first fleet had scarcely left the Cappella system since the 'Pulsar Incident' long-term plans to retrofit and overhaul the fleet were rushed into action ahead of deployment to the Bitrius system. Military analysts deeming it the most likely invasion point from the Dyss Marauders, as vast convoys moved resources into the system as the most rapid fortification of a star-system in the history of the Cartel was begun.

Ship designs which until that point had been no more than blueprints were rushed into production, the Sagittarrii class corvette and the Aurora class cruiser. The Sagittarrii corvette was a radical departure from the Cunning class, focusing primarily on supporting mainline ships with volleys of missile fire, whilst plans were aiming for torpedoes over missiles it was deemed acceptable by the board in the meantime. The Aurora class cruiser was designed around lessons learned in the 'Pulsar Incident' arrays of medium plasma cannons formed its core armament supported by a large railgun and a pair of new ion disruptors its goal was simply to overwhelm its targets with superior firepower.

The shipyards at Cappella were a chaotic hive of activity for weeks as the entire fleet was retrofit and new designs were rushed into manufacture. The Cartel's generous surplus of resources was almost entirely sold off simply to feed the vast amount of refined alloys needed to all but rebuild the entire first fleet and fortify the border systems as rapidly as possible.

New ships and crews were pressed into service at a rate never seen since the Cartel had first mastered faster than light travel as news about the newly united Dyss Marauders began to reach them. Refugees from the Mith-Fell Shipping Alliance limped into Cartel space giving them their first taste of just how vicious the Marauders had become, they had torn apart Mith-Fell space in a matter of months far outstripping even the most worrying projections of the Cartel's brightest minds. No more than a few weeks passed after the first refugees arrived than it was learned that the entire Mith-Fell Shipping Alliance had been utterly destroyed by the Dyss Horde, their people reduced to nought but a few handfuls of frightened settlers who were taken in on New Vulpinus.

The Dyss Horde annihilate the Mith-Fell Shipping Alliance in a matter of months.

As had been a tradition for 170 years, the first fleet made a parade pass over the capital world but this time rather than it being to assert themselves over the other races, now they prepared to defend themselves from the viciously aggressive Dyss Horde. The Bitrius system became the most heavily defended system in Cartel space dwarfing even the vast fortress of Janna, as both the first fleet and Bitrius station were hoped to be the rock against which the wave of the Dyss Horde would break against.

Only time would tell if they would succeed or fail if they failed to hold them the settlers and refugees of New Vulpinus would be the next victims of the great Khan's crusade to carve out an empire of their own.

The newly reconstructed and retrofit first fleet and Bitrius Station prepare to defend against the roving Dyss Horde.

If you missed the last part you can find it here.

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 32 - The Pulsar Incident

"Victory at any cost." - Admiral Sexta Lamponius before the Pulsar Incident.

Stardate: 01-10-2348

As the months turned to years it appeared at least for the moment that the Fox Cartel's golden age would continue for many years longer than anyone would have dared hope. They did however face one critical challenge in their new approach to interstellar diplomacy, at best they were viewed with suspicion and at worst they were outright despised. This was of course in large part due to their extensive ties and use of the galactic underworld and their use of criminal elements within their previous dealings. Which in itself ensured any diplomatic relationships that they had formed as part of their new inititiave were very much arms length.

Even within their own population now there was a growing interest in altering their ways which was a source of alarm for many on the board of directors as differing political factions began to gain more and more support. It became a genuine concern that civil unrest or even outright rebellion would erupt, plans were proposed to construct planetary fortresses and massively increase garrisons to reduce the risks. The plan was given limited approval and was code-named 'Safeguard' and it was now mandatory for all planetary governors to ensure at least one fortress was present on their worlds.

Whilst it was debated for almost an entire month in closed sessions the notion of a government reform was deemed too costly, the very notion of abandoning their criminal roots deemed to not be worth the risk for fear of losing their vast underground intelligence gathering network. If their neighbors and rivals would not acknowledge them as allies through diplomacy then they would be convinced through military might.

The sheer volume of traffic moving through Cartel space at several points become difficult for traffic controllers to manage as star-bases were constructed at key points within their territory for either economic benefit or defensively to shield their rapidly expanding economy.

The second fleet patrolling the trade-routes that run through Cartel space.

The plan that had been code-named 'Olive Branch' was overall so far considered to be a massive success at least within the projections that had been offered regarding the economic improvements. It was however deemed minimally successful on the diplomatic front, enough at least to give them some breathing room from the growing federations emerging within the galaxy.

Colonies within Cartel space began to not only grow but flourish, moving from dependence on resources from the core worlds to supporting themselves or even adding to the growing wealth the Cartel was accumulating. Piracy also became less of a concern as star-bases and trade hubs were constructed and most vital systems had extensive fighter patrols and the newly constructed 2nd fleet actively prowled the hyper-lane network giving pirates little chance to organise into any serious threats along the main routes.

Technological discovery continued at an ever increasingly rapid pace further widening the gap between the Cartel and it's neighbours. Many military leaders wanted to press the advantage and perform pre-emptive strikes on the Uri Suns and Alvothari Hegemony but such plans were dismissed by the board of directors as too risky without the conclusion of 'Olive Branch' to ensure Cartel space was fully fortified to thwart inevitable counter-attacks.

An alternative offensive action was instead proposed, Targon and Karizit, two systems long since considered off-limits for all Cartel ships due to an infestation of hostile crystalline entities. The board of directors deployed the first fleet as a test of recent advances in weapon and shielding technology as it was unlikely to draw the ire of other races. It would also prove a suitable test for the first fleets new admiral, Sexta Lamponius whom was all too eager to prove herself.

A caravaneer fleet fleeing Cartel space with the second fleet close behind after they are found to have stolen credits and materials from the Flerm star-port.

A caravaneer fleet uses the departure of the first fleet to it's advantage however distracting docking and customs officials in orbit of Flerm to steal from Cartel reserves and manage to flee into Uriy Suns space before the high speed ships of the second fleet can give chase. The incident prompts all planetary and instellar defence forces to be put on alert with orders to shoot on sight should that particular merchant fleet return for any other reason than to return what they stole.

The first fleet enters the Targon system and immediately engages the first crystalline entity fleet, it wasn't so much a battle as a slaughter. Crashing through the first group without so much as a change in course two more crystalline fleets enter the battle to little effect. All three groups of crystalline entities were soon little more than shards of red crystal hanging in the void, overwhelmed by the firepower of the Cartel's fleet. In less than a month the entire Targon system is cleansed leaving the debris to be picked over by the science ships that followed in their wake. It was even discovered that one of the worlds within the Targon system was gaia class, something that had been impossible to determine before due to sensor interference from the crystalline creatures that called this system home. Were they defending it or was it merely a coincidence?

The battle of the Targon system, the first fleet engages the crystalline entities.

The first fleet moves on to it's next target in the Karizit system where the crystalline entities congregated around what could only be described as a planet sized meber of their species, realising too late they were hopelessly outnumbered the first fleet is engaged. Under fire from every direction the battle descends into chaos, many newer inexperienced captains panic, fleeing the battle as the admiral attempted to pull the fleet back into some semblance of order. The battle rages for several weeks seeing massive losses before a reluctant retreat is ordered, almost twenty ships including a Sylo-class cruiser among those destroyed by the sheer number of crystalline entities in a battle that would later become known as the 'Pulsar Incident'.

As the remnants of the first fleet return to their home-station of Capella the second fleet moves to engage a band of pirates whom had avoided detection from patrol craft in the Jor Mon Dir system by shielding their base in near-orbit to a gas giant. The second fleet proving itself to be a sound investment, making short work of the unshielded and make-shift ships of the Fell Company pirates.

The battle in the Karizit descends into chaos around the pulsar in what would later be known as 'The Pulsar Incident'

With the first fleet suffering horrific losses in the 'Pulsar Incident' and it being projected to take nearly twenty more years for planned fortifications to be completed it is decided that a restructuring of their main offensive force is neccessary. To date the first fleet had relied upon a large force of Cunning-class corvettes to strip away enemy defences whilst larger ships provided the killing blow. It was decided a shift to destroyers as the work-horse class was the best approach and plans were set in motion to design a new class of corvette and destroyer based around long-range engagements and overwhelming firepower as their primary doctrines.

The Pulsar Incident was the worst military engagement the Cartel had suffered since becoming a space faring power. Whether the Cartel would recover from the set-back or rivals would take advantage of their weakened military only time would tell.

The second fleet makes quick work of a band of pirates called the Fell Company.

If you missed the last part, you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 31 - A Change of Heart

"The galaxy is changing, so must we lest we be consigned to obscurity." - Oligarch Proculus Manilius at his inauguration speech.

Stardate: 28-5-2341

It had been over a century since the Cartel had entered the galactic stage with all the bull-headed belligerence one would expect from a militaristic profit focused crime syndicate. However it was now becoming clear that their blunt force approach was no longer a viable strategy going forward and that in order to survive a changing galaxy now filled with potentially hostile rivals the Cartel would need to alter it's approach.

Initial contact with the Alvothari Hegemony showed enough promise at the possibility of joining their federation, the Golden Alliance. After several weeks marred by translation errors and general mistrust of the Cartel's sudden change of heart it was agreed by all members of the Golden Alliance that the Cartel would be granted associate status marking the greatest change in the Cartel's foreign policy since they had entered space.

This however was only the first step, closed sessions of the board were common place during this period of time as two code-worded plans of action were put into effect, 'Olive Branch' and 'Double-Deal'. Of the two 'Olive Branch' was the most straight forward as the Cartel sought to integrate as well as ingratiate itself with the Golden Alliance by turning it's economic might to both it's own and it's new allies advantage. A massive sweeping economic plan was laid down from star-bases and trading ports to anti-piracy measures with the hope of becoming the very heart of the Golden Alliance's economy.

This wasn't however an act of altruism, it was hoped that if the Cartel became the economic centre of the alliance it would make it's member races far less likely to turn on them and if they did it would cripple their economy and therefore guarantee an easier military victory should they be betrayed. Which in part was the reason the plan code-named 'Double-Deal' was approved but not widely known by any but the highest ranking officials of the Cartel's leadership for fear a leak would jeopardise 'Olive Branch'.

'Double-Deal' would have been best described as the Cartel's contingency should their integration into the Golden Alliance fail. Their vast criminal network whilst by and large would be put to use against rivals of their new allies, unofficially they would operate clandestinely within Golden Alliance space, probing for weak points, preparing vast synchronised sabotage campaigns and generally doing their utmost to ensure should the Cartel be betrayed that they would have the last laugh.

The Unified Uriy Suns still posed a threat but their isolationist tendencies and the fact the Cartel now had allies made it much less likely they would risk attacking enabling the vast resources of the corporation to now be put to better use. However piracy soon became a problem, the sheer scope of 'Olive Branch' meant there were more transport ships laden with goods than there were available military ships to escort them which drew independent operators to Cartel space looking to plunder their wealth.

Pirates are drawn toward the increased trade traffic from the Cartels new economic focus.

It became clear that an independently commanded fleet of fast patrol ships was needed to patrol the growing trade-routes that moved through Cartel space and it was at this point that the second fleet was founded. Comprised primarily of Cunning-class corvettes their sole objective was to keep the space-lanes clear of pirates freeing up the first fleet from escort duties and enabling them to focus on more pressing engagements should they arise. The second fleet would be based more centrally within the Cartel's space, operating on a circular patrol route covering areas that had yet to be covered by a star-base.

The Cartel had never been more prosperous and even the lowliest of citizen's enjoyed luxuries beyond anything that had previously been thought possible. Their vast scientific output continued to grow further and further as research facilities were upgraded and scientific funding was further increased. It seemed as if the change of strategy was ushering in a golden age as the effects of 'Olive Branch' were felt by all. Whilst it may take decades for the Cartel to become trusted enough to become a full member of the Golden Alliance, they were definitely on the right track.

It was during this period that the Cartel began developing entirely new military doctrines for defensive warfare, with their expansionist plans put on hold it was deemed prudent to better defend what they already had. Whilst the Gladius-class defence platforms filled a theoretically multi-purpose role it was deemed too general to be effective prompting a redesign, making use of improvements to strike-craft technology and a mind-set toward being used for defending systems with only a small manned outpost it was refit to feature hangar bays and a pair of medium plasma throwers to help it combat opponents up to destroyer classes.

New designs were also proposed and added into the already vast fortification plans for Cartel space. The Lancea, featuring two large railguns was designed to help defend colonies and naval anchorages from larger capital class vessels. Whereas the Pilum class was designed to counter enemies who favoured swarm tactics and heavy concentrations of fighters, bristling with autocannons and flak batteries to clear the skies of smaller craft.

A new Oligarch is sworn into office whom was a strong support of the 'Olive Branch' initiative.

Whilst the previous Oligarch passed into retirement a new one was quickly voted in for his economic focus and balanced approach to the military values he shared, Proculus Manilius continuing the grand plans laid down by his predecessor as the Cartel settled in for the long haul. Earning the trust of their new allies was paramount but their deep seated distrust of the Cartel's criminal origins proved a sticking point that would make things difficult to accomplish in any diplomatic sense.

It was during this period that a murmur of discontent arose among all levels of Cartel society, many began to question whether their unscrupulous tendencies and criminal undertakings were worth maintaining. Branch offices seldom remained open for more than a year before law enforcement agencies cracked down on them, everywhere the foxes went they were hated on principle and it wasn't entirely unjustified.

Debate began even among the highest levels of leadership as to whether or not to entirely reform their government and cast off their criminal and corporate beginnings in favour of something more able to deal with the changing times and threats the Cartel faced. Would they change course in order to accommodate their long-term plans or continue as they had toward a goal of sole galactic dominance by any means?

The secrets of a stellar shrine cause a wave of spiritual interest to grip the Cartel's population.

It was during this period that science vessels moved to investigate speculated locations of shrines to gods from the Cartel's ancient past. As scientists deciphered ancient texts around stars the information was leaked from an over-enthusiastic intern sending a wave of spiritual embracement across the entire Cartel as it was revealed that (with some creative interpretation) that the Cartel ordained by the divine for great things.

Whilst the spiritual awakening proved a distraction, 'Olive Branch' continued to pay dividends as research deals were struck with the Alvothari Hegemony and also a rival corporation, the Mith-Fell Shipping Alliance who had more in common with the Cartel than either one initially thought. Even the few Uriy whom had become part of the Cartel at gun-point were beginning to integrate themselves lending credence to the previous Oligarch's theory that playing nice would perhaps yield better returns than their previously aggressive foreign policies.

However it became clear to Cartel leadership that some kind of change was on the horizon as more and more political factions began forming within their citizenry from imperialists to spiritualists and genuine concern began to arise of a potential civil war despite the current general contentment of the population. For the moment however all efforts were maintained and focused on to honing the Cartel into an economic power-house that would remain relevant in the galaxy for centuries if not millenia to come.

The Homolog Contiuum, historically seen as interfering by most in the Cartel since their first encounter continue to give what can only be seen as veiled threats for something they were clearly afraid of themselves. Demanding the Cartel refrains from war for a period of twenty years, though by most among Cartel leadership it was deemed to be another random request from a robotic empire long past relevance they none the less heeded it due to catastrophic projections from military analysts should war with them happen.

For the time being though, it felt as if the Cartel's golden age was set to continue despite the rumblings of political upheaval from within.

If you missed the last part you can find it here!

Let's Play Stellaris - Story Interlude - Crossroads

The entire conference room was pitch black save for the light cast from a holographic display of the galaxy, there was naught but silence however as the implications of what had just been seen weighed heavy on those present. It was the Oligarch himself who was first to break the silence, a silence which was an unusual occurrence in the Cartel's main conference room.

"Show us again." The terse foxes old reply earning a nervous nod as the holographic simulation was reverted to it's original state.

The multi-coloured three-dimensional image marked out the various galactic powers and their territories as they stood at this very moment, with the greenish-grey of the Fox Cartel already overshadowed by surrounding empires. Time lapsed on the simulated display in increments of a year with the Cartel growing slowly to the galactic north and east into a waning Unified Uriy Suns, that however wasn't what held the gaze of every leading Cartel official.

As the simulation progressed two large federations formed essentially carving the galaxy into two distinct power blocs, another fifty years showed them both eroding the border systems of the Cartel. Two hundred and the Cartel was predicted quite ominously to be no-more, the display was flicked off, as the conference rooms tinted main window automatically faded to allow the light of the Capella star back in.

Tense looks passed between the many gathered officials, generals, admirals, scientists and all others of relevance or prominence within the Cartel's mildly convoluted hierarchy. The Oligarch himself pushed himself up from his seat, walking toward the window overlooking the civilisation they had constructed. Orderly lines of shuttles, transport ships and luxury vessels moved to and fro from the various space ports as the people below went about their every-day lives.

He caught the sight of his reflection, his official uniform immaculate as ever, orange and grey with the ever fashionable gold trim was off-set by the greying fur at his muzzle, he'd seen much in his tenure as Oligarch but now the Cartel faced it's largest threat yet. Irrelevance. Turning back toward the assembled leadership of the Cartel the Oligarch spoke, his voice measured and every syllable carefully weighed and considered.

"We stand at a crossroads, a choice that could see us either thrive or perish much as our ancestors faced in their struggle against corrupt governments of our ancient past. Your thoughts?" Many of the officials glances at one another, seeing whom among them would speak up first it was the admiral of the first fleet who did so.

"Let us finish off the Uriy Suns, then use their territory and people to our advantage. Surely it's our best hope, what other option is there?" There was a murmur of approval among the other department heads. It was true that the Cartel was ship for ship very powerful in comparison to all but the reclusive Yeon Progenitors or the warlike marauders.

The lead sociologist, whom had lead the project to essentially predict the future as best they could, cleared his throat as if nervous of speaking in any degree of contradiction to the admiral. "I'm.. Afraid to say we.. Accounted for that as well.. It would simply take too long to leverage the advantage any new territory would offer us.. Perhaps if we focused on a more.. Defensive stratagem?"

The admiral shook his head with a look of disgust painted across his features that not even the handful of scars could hide as the two engaged in a heated back and forth soon drawing both sides of the conference table into an ever escalating shouting match.

"Enough." The Oligarch's commanding tone stopped the talking dead with every single official dropping back into their seats as the Oligarch paced around, his mind clearly at work.

"I do not doubt our military might nor the ability of the first fleet itself admiral but we have prosecuted two wars against the Uriy Suns already and made little impact despite our technological advantage." A subtle hint of a sigh punctured the normally emotionless exterior before he continued.

"If we can barely defeat a solitary independent neighbour, what hope would we have defeating a united multi-racial federation? No, we need an entirely different approach my friends." As if to add more gravitas or perhaps just some dramatic tension the Oligarch slowly walked back to the head of the conference table and sat down.

"We risk becoming a foot-note in history, another civilisation eroded into irrelevance by the inexorable march of time. So what I propose is a radical departure from our current policies, to better position ourselves to not merely survive but thrive in a rapidly changing galaxy."

Most of the gathered officials looked at each other slightly confused, the Oligarch waiting, choosing his words carefully given how controversial this decision was likely to be especially with the aggressive tendencies of their military.

"What I propose is that we join one of these federations until such a time as we have the means to strike out on our own again. If we can't beat them, join them, then leverage our vast underworld connections to take control from the shadows when the time is right. Questions?"

There were a few moments of tension that had the guards at the door fidget nervously as the atmosphere became palpable as the gathered leadership looked among themselves as if seeing whom among them was brave or foolhardy enough to question their leader. Of course most of them knew better than that and most were able to see the advantages over any sense of pride, satisfied that no-one else had a better idea he continued.

"Very well, you will receive your order shortly. Let us get this done." Everyone but the Oligarch gathered themselves up, talking and murmuring to aids and among themselves in pairs as they left the office. A single paw swiped across the comm panel set into the conference table.

"Put me in touch with the leader of the Alvothari Hegemony." Now all that remained was to convince them that their criminal empire was a worthwhile addition to their federation rather than a rival whom sought to conquer their worlds. For now at least.

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 30 - Stuck in a Rut

"Unrest had been a growing concern for many among the upper echelon's of Cartel society for some time now. It was easy to see why, for years now they had focused their efforts inwards, star-bases, the economy, scientific pursuits over conquest and militaristic goals. The simple fact of the matter was the Cartel was no longer sure of itself, despite their advantages and military ability they had yet to truly turn it into a decisive victory against the Uriy Suns. Some were even considering the possibility of allying with one of the larger powers and then turning on them later. Whatever they ended up deciding to do, the Cartel would not be complacent for much longer even if it meant sharing power or simply trying to take it. "

Stardate: 04-01-2336

Once again we find ourselves guiding the Fox Cartel to galactic criminal dominance and a healthy profit margin. The plan right now is two fold, to improve the Cartel's economy and also to continue improving our tech so that even the Cartel's fewer numbers they are still able to hold their own in a war. So current objectives as I see it are as follows:

• Ensure that every way in and way out of Cartel space is covered by a defensive star-base. This will mean the fleet is more able to be aggressive during wars.
• Improve research capability, this isn't as easy as it was in older versions of Stellaris, research labs use consumer goods as upkeep so any extra labs will need a similar increase in consumer goods production.
• Further expand the fleet, preferably including battleships in the line-up before our next aggressive push.
• Start building tall instead of wide, I could expand north but there aren't many worthwhile planets there and the Marauders are there so no thanks. Habitats and such are the way to go once terraforming options dry up.
• Look into other targets for aggressive expansion beyond the Uriy Suns, the galaxy is entering what I dub the federation phase which means unless the Cartel gets invited to one it's literally us against the galaxy.

So today's part starts off leading right into another tradition unlock, now we have finished the supremacy tree so now we need to pick a new one to pursue. All four remaining trees have their pros and cons, expansion is tempting due to the increase to admin capacity however domination seems more thematically agreeable. Adopting it is only modestly useful giving us a reduced cost on clearing tile blockers but the later unlocks will help, such as increased governor level cap, extra housing, worker resource output etc. 

The engineering department finishes improving our corvettes build speed and reducing their cost so let's improve them further by giving them an extra 100 hit-points with the next tech. I set the constructor ships to work rebuilding the mining bases the pirates trashed on their little romp and pretty much just let things tick over.

The Alvothari again shut down a branch office, seriously they get shut-down so fast I almost wonder if they are worth the resources. So a little scouting around from our criminal network and we find a few more places to set-down illicit roots, let's hope these actually last longer than a year. 

The Galactic Ymacera Assembly a vast sprawling empire.. With only one colonised planet..What?

It's during this little manual scouting that I realise for all the Ymacera Assembly's size they don't seem to have many planets, in fact they only have one, seriously? They own all that space but have only one planet, perhaps they aren't as big a threat as I first thought. Yet despite all that, they still kicked the crap out of the Prossnakan Star Hunters, true they did have help but even so.

The Husko raiders now try to extort us too, for now I just pay them off as the first fleet isn't back to full strength and the raiders generally are a lot stronger than me right now. Also I am not sure if they can bypass the border status of other empires to get to me so better safe than sorry for now.

Our society division finishes their research further improving the Cartel's naval capacity, so I opt to unlock some starbase modules to improve our fleets further. Every improvement we can make to our ships is a win if you ask me right now. It's at this point something odd is noted on Cartel sensors, Fiiral TransStellar, another mega-corporation has territory to my north despite their main territory being in the galactic south, that's, unusual to say the least. It is noted to keep an eye on them meanwhile.

The engineering division further improves our corvettes with extra hitpoints, next up is flak-cannons, I prefer them usually to the pure point defences as they can at least target other ships as well. This is followed almost as quickly by the physics division unlocking further upgraded research labs for us, so I set them to researching plasma cannons next as the plasma throwers are our fleets mainstay weaponry for now. 

And then for many years, not a lot seems to happen, the Cartel's worlds slowly grow upgrading buildings, laying down more districts and slowly but surely improving their economic and scientific output. Though the sheer rate of population growth has actually stunted food income so that is something that gets worked on too, dropping down a hydroponic farm on Hades and a few farming districts on the urban worlds should take care of it for now until we get the tech to further improve our food situation. 

More society research this time aimed at 'refit standards' which makes retrofitting ships cheaper and reduces overall ship upkeep, can't argue with that. For now though the Cartel seems stuck in a rut with the only real option to be to try to once again to take on the Uriy Suns. 

All kinds of technology!

In order to stop the unwashed masses from rioting due to what is perceived by many to be growing complacency the first fleet, now mostly reinforced does a parade fly-by past the capital of Vulpinus (or in other words I wasn't finding much interesting to make screenshots of.) Taking something of a risk I decide it is best to throw some rivalries out something I haven't been doing, let's see if we can stir up some trouble before the Cartel starts blowing each other up. 

Oddly enough whilst figuring out who would make the best rivals I discover much to my surprise that the Alvothari Hegemony would actually accept us into their federation which is, actually an oddly tempting prospect given how limited the Cartel's options are at present, being stuck in an awkward position galacticaly with the way the hyper-lane network is laid out.

That decision will have to wait until next time however, will the Cartel decide to play nice or will they continue their attempt at conquering the galaxy all by themselves?

Thank you for reading, I do know the building up parts are a little stale but hopefully with some directed poking and shaking up of things we can get back to the space battles, wars and ancient mysteries, til next time fox fans!

The first fleet does a fly-by of the homeworld to raise spirits.

If you missed the last part, you can find it here!