Let's Play Stellaris: Part 42 - The End of the Cartel

"That I should live to see the end of the Cartel..." - Oligarch Septima Egnatius

Stardate: 18-11-2466

To say it was a disaster would have been an understatement, as defensive preparations continued and attempts were made to keep the economy stable as it was pushed harder and harder to keep pace with growing demand, a group of robotic and AI became self-aware. The DAAR Multi-System seized control of key systems including several of the border fortresses plunging the entire Cartel into disarray, the third fleet was caught entirely flat-footed as AI forces seized control of New Vulpinus.

A massive fleet of vastly powerful and superior ships seemingly emerging out of no-where from the edge of the system tore into the third fleet who panicked, breaking as it became clear that they had seized control of the planet as well. Chaos swept across the breadth of the Cartel as armadas of AI controlled ships and reports of robotic uprisings flooded in.

A massive fleet of rogue AI catches the third fleet by surprise in orbit of New Vulpinus.

With the threat of the Scourge pushed out of the Cartel's immediate concerns it became clear their lack of restrictions to AI technology had proven to be a time-bomb waiting to explode. Having made extensive use of AI to increase their research capabilities, their quest for technological supremacy had proven to be their potential downfall.

The New Dyss Khanate having signed a defensive pact with the Cartel along with the Uriy Suns Subsidiary came to their aid but whether it would be enough was another matter entirely. Hagawa, Bir Zun, Targon, Menchib and Janna had fallen in a matter of hours essentially crippling the defensive border the Cartel had always enjoyed.

With the board paralysed with indecision the military took matters into their own hands, as the first and fourth fleets made a counter-attack into the Janna system, the ancient robots found there decades ago being labelled as the most likely cause.

The fourth fleet engages the fortress at Janna as the first fleet arrives to support them.

In 2467, months after the uprising began, Bitrius Starbase and the remains of the third fleet made a stand to protect Fiiral Colonia against two massive DAAR fleets. It proved to be ultimately futile as even the massive defensive installation long thought to be one of the most powerful of it's kind within the Cartel was simply crushed along with the remains of the third fleet marking it the greatest military loss for decades.

The fourth fleet was first to arrive in Janna much to their dismay they had turned the fortress star-base to their control and inflicted heavy casualties before the first fleet arrived to reinforce their positions. Before they could capitalise on the victory fully however yet another huge DAAR fleet arrived engaging both fleets. The fighting was vicious, despite their numerical advantage the Cartel fleets still took significant losses whilst only inflicting moderate casualties in kind before the DAAR fleet withdrew.

Even as they attempted to prepare the Janna Habitat for a ground attack yet another fleet from the DAAR arrived further taxing the embattled fleets. A partial bombardment took place as ground forces landed on Janna with the fleets moving back to defend the homeworld but the machines overwhelmed even the experienced general and routed the Cartel's ground forces spectacularly as the vast machine fleets overran system after system, crushing the few allied fleets who had arrived to help and obliterating every starbase and defence laid before them. Even the homeworld itself fell to their advance.

The first and fourth fleets battle wave after wave of DAAR ships seeking to reclaim the Janna system.

The year 2468 saw the remaining military might of the Cartel make one last ditch effort to break the DAAR offensive, all three fleets, battered and understrength pushed to retake the homeworld. Whilst all combined might of the Cartel navy fought valiantly against the machines, the vast fleet simply washed over them like an emotionless flood until all that remained were broken hulls. The battle barely lasted a week, the vastly superior machine forces and technology giving them a huge advantage.

The first, third and fourth fleets engage in a last-ditch battle to break the siege of Vulpinus.

Battered and broken, the remains of the Cartel Navy waited for the end, opting to make their last stand in the Ishnor system they waited for the arrival of the machines. Unable to replenish their losses, the homeworld and it's shipyards no longer accessible and the economy in ruins there was little else that could be done.

By 2472, the end came, food supplies were gone and the entire fleet being destroyed or routed by the DAAR they quickly overran the remaining systems. For all the Cartels achievements since they had mastered faster than light travel, they had been undone by their own technology. The warning signs had been there but their desire to best their rivals made them believe it to have been worth the risk.

The few remaining Foxes scattered into the Yeon Progenitors and New Dyss Khanate space, hoping to simply survive as the swarm consumed the galaxy. For the Fox Cartel, however, their story was now over.

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

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 41 - Guardians of the Galaxy

"Join with us, Foxes." - Yeon Progenitor Diplomat

Stardate: 16-03-2455

The situation looked dire, military analysts and scientists alike not seeing any favourable outcome from a military engagement with the invading species dubbed the Prethoryn Scourge. Even a single scourge fleet would require the entire Cartel navy to stand even a slim chance at victory, the Scourge, however, was distant giving the Cartel much needed time to prepare with the sole objective being one of pure survival.

The Prime Wardens bore the brunt of the Prethoryn Scourge's early advances but their defences and fleets proved of little use against the vast fleets of organic ships. In less than a year they had cut a swathe through Prime Warden space and began moving into the Ziiran Mandate with little signs of slowing or being hindered by any military efforts to arrest their advance which continued at an apocalyptic speed.

In 2457 refugee's began arriving in Cartel space from the Prime Wardens, despite their criminal reputation the Cartel's overall accepting and racially neutral politics made them an appealing place for those with no-where else to go. It was also among the most heavily fortified empires next to the mysterious ancient races such as the Yeon and Homolog but the sheer ferocity of the Scourge made even the Cartel feel as if no defence may be adequate to halt their advance.

Capture footage of a Prime Warden Starbase being obliterated by the scourge.

In order to ensure the Cartel's survival in the face of the gravest threat ever before seen a vast construction project was undertaken in the Capella system. A vast Strategic Coordination Center in order to help manage and direct the entire Cartel navy and defensive installations, the hope being to be the rock the wave of the Scourge would break against.

Previously risky expansion ventures were approved as the critical need for raw materials grew beyond the Cartel's capacity to sustain. Planets previously considered too risky an investment were colonised, artificial habitats constructed and vast city districts on worlds still largely empty were built in order to house what was predicted to be an ever increasing wave of refugee's fleeing the destruction of the Prethoryn.

By 2462 the main hull of the Strategic Coordination Centre was completed although even that vast undertaking was still only partially complete as more resources were ever required as every effort was placed behind one singular goal. Survival at any cost.

The base hull of the newly constructed Strategic Comand Centre in the Capella system.

Even more grandiose and proportionately more expensive projects were also considered, from a Dyson Sphere to a vast matter compressor to fuel the struggling Fox Cartel economy which was being turned fully toward a war no-one expected to win. A war in which just simply surviving would be a victory in itself as the Prethoryn Scourge tore the Prime Wardens and Ziiran Mandate to pieces with frightening ease.

As 2463 drew to an end it seemed the Prime Wardens had been all but defeated, a few rag-tag fleets attempting in vain to blunt the vast swarms of Scourge ships were all that remained of their military efforts with the Ziiran not faring any better. However, as overall hope began to dwindle within the Cartel as they desperately tried to bolster their fleet and defences something no-one expected happened something which rekindled the fading hope of the galaxy at large.

The Prethoryn Scourges fleets prove to be a large unstoppable mass of destruction.

The Yeon Progenitors had scarcely taken an interest in the galaxy at large since the Cartel encountered them, keeping to themselves behind sealed and heavily defended borders they seemed to care little for the wars and politics of the younger races. However, with the arrival of the Prethoryn Scourge that changed, it was unnoticed at first border tracking stations and sub-space sensors only noting it as unusual when scouting vessels moved out of their territory. Apparently finding the Scourge to be a threat to even themselves they called upon all races of the galaxy to stand with them against the invaders in a Galactic Defence League.

Whilst the Cartel's board and military debated whether or not they should join in a rare unanimous vote it was decided that should an offer be extended it would be accepted. The Cartel, however, remained more focused on improving its own chances for survival.

However, another disaster struck taking the Cartel completely by surprise.

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

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 40 - The Threat Emerges

"They are the greatest threat this galaxy has ever likely faced." - First Fleet Admiral Numeria Manilius

Stardate: 30-07-2446

They had once been no more than a street gang trying to survive, huddled in a single derelict building hiding from corrupt enforcers and other gangs. Now, they were the rulers of a vast interstellar empire spanning dozens of star-systems, many however felt their true test was yet to arrive, as the Cartel continued clandestine attempts to prepare for the threat they had yet to find much less face.

Economic growth and scientific breakthroughs marked the period very much as a golden age which seemed to show no signs of slowing or stopping. That, however, was until the Husko Raiders a band of marauders not unlike the New Dyss Khanate had been decided in 2448 to demand tribute from the Cartel. Whilst long ago the Cartel often paid the Dyss simply due to the economic cost of fighting a greater adversary was deemed too great compared to a paltry offering of minerals or food. The Husko, however, were afforded nothing but a tersely worded warning that any attempt to raid Cartel space would be repulsed with lethal force.

The board informed military command and border defences were put on alert as the first and third fleets were deployed toward Hagawa and Bitrius, deemed the likely entry points into Cartel Space should they attempt an incursion. The unblooded fourth fleet was held in reserve on the off-chance they Husko entered Cartel territory from another unexpected direction. Their underworld connections proved useful in identifying the raider's target as the Menchib system, a former Uriy Suns colony now under direct rulership of the Cartel. The first fleet was quickly redirected to intercept them as they moved through Alvothari Hegemony space, something which had been deemed unlikely, to begin with.

2451 saw the refinery world of Glump subjected to an orbital bombardment before the first fleet could arrive in time to stop the Husko Raiders, however, it was a mistake on their part. The first fleet crashed into them before they could reposition and promptly rendered them into nought but a cloud of scrap metal. Not a single survivor was left to return to the Husko with any of their ill-gotten gains, no longer would anyone take from the Cartel without paying for it in credits or blood.

The first fleet makes quick work of the Husko raiders leaving no survivors.

The Husko, however, were rated more as a minor inconvenience as later in that very year subspace tracking stations detected something far more alarming. Deep in intergalactic space sensor echoes were detected approaching the galaxy, was this the threat the Homolog had warned about or something else entirely? The knowledge was kept out of public knowledge, it is deemed too risky to share at the risk of causing a panic. Defensive preparations were stepped up in earnest and plans for the first titan class ship to be constructed were accelerated.

The Cartel's economy was pushed to breaking point as they attempted to rush ahead with as many projects as possible, plunging their formally vast mineral wealth into nothing as mining districts on new worlds remained empty as population growth hadn't kept up with the expansion. Also during 2452, a research AI on Vulpinus had seemingly destroyed itself and an investigation into the cause was launched given the importance the Cartel placed on research and technology. Seemingly caused by its assessment of the success of any wars with Cartel rivals resulting in mutually assured destruction no matter how many times it simulated it the AI terminated itself causing more checks and balances to be put in place to avoid the loss of expensive AI in future.

In 2453, the subspace echoes detected heading toward the galaxy were clearer, smaller advance elements moving toward Prime Wardens space in the galactic south. Whilst the Cartel engaged in meetings almost daily about various contingencies and attack plans, some still held out hope it might be friendly visitors. Messages warning the Prime Wardens fell on deaf ears however so all the Cartel could do was wait and prepare for the worst.

Communication between the galaxy and the new visitors proves impossible. 

As the year progressed the source of the sub-space echoes finally entered the galaxy, an initial attempt at communication saw translation software and linguistics teams utterly fail to establish any kind of dialogue with the visitors. Weeks passed as the best minds among the Cartel attempted to breach the communication barrier but it was aborted when reports of systems along the galactic rim being attacked by these invaders began to flood in. The sub-space echoes and their numbers pointed toward an invasion of the galaxy itself.

Dubbed by most of the galaxy as the Prethoryn Scourge due to several repeated phrases coughed up by translation software across the galaxy and their clearly hostile intent it was clear to the entire galaxy. This was the single largest threat ever faced by all but the fallen empires such as the Yeon and Homolog.

In a matter of months, they had obliterated installations in three Prime Warden systems and occupied two of them whilst a pre-emptive strike would have been wise the fact their foothold was on the other side of the galaxy made it difficult for the Cartel to even reach the affected systems due to the myriad of empires who had closed their borders to the Cartel.

After some skilful negotiating with the Prime Wardens, a deal was reached to share real-time sensor information, allowing the Cartel to assess the extent of the threat. What they discovered however was more terrifying than even their darkest nightmares could have prepared them for.

Dubbed the Prethoryn Scourge, their vast fleets of organic ships pose the single greatest threat ever faced to the galaxy much less the Cartel.

Vast fleets of organic ships that even on their own dwarfed the entire Cartel navy were roving across the galaxy. A state of emergency was immediately declared further straining the still struggling economy as the Cartel attempted to prepare to weather a storm so vast that even the most optimistic projections ended in the near total extinction of all life in the galaxy.

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

Let's Play Stellaris: Part 39 - We Have the Technology

"Anything is possible with sufficient technological advancement." - Oligarch Septima Egnatius

Stardate: 14-03-2428

The Fox Cartel in early 2428 was almost entirely focused upon consolidating its power, whilst there were many reasons for them to do so there were two reasons more prevalent than most. The first of which was a lack of any easy targets, a complex web of alliances, defensive pacts, independence guarantees and growing federations ensured that attacking any single rival would draw others into the fight. Whilst the Cartel's military was indeed powerful it still needed decades to reach its full strength due to a vast plan of expansion and refits.

The second reason only a select handful of the Fox Cartel's leadership knew about in any meaningful detail. Historically speaking the Homolog Continuum had always been a baffling neighbour, a vast robotic intelligence whose actions had long been a topic of discussion throughout the Cartel's history. However, their constant allusions to some vast threat and evidence that another ancient race had been wiped out long ago made the Cartel take that possibility far more seriously. Not wanting to be caught flat-footed in the midst of war should some new threat emerge a defensive strategy was adopted.

For years the Cartel showed an unerring focus upon two singular objectives, the expansion of their military and a massive push for more and more advanced technology. Colonia Dwarvian became the largest known research hub in the galaxy, research complexes that matched cities in size ensured the Cartel's already impressive technology accelerated far ahead of their rivals. Some among the board of directors even speculated that they may even match the Yeon Progenitors or Homolog Continuum in decades rather than centuries.

Colonia Dwarvian, the largest centre for research in Cartel space if not the entire galaxy.

The year 2432 saw the Cartel turning its vast economy and scientific expertise toward further expanding their military in a vastly ambitious plan. The recently settled world of Fiiral Colonia and a planet marked for Terraforming in the Hagawa system would become massive training centres for ships crews, armies and all manner of military support personnel. The plan was to ensure that whatever threat emerged be it a rival empire or some ancient terror the Cartel would be ready to deal with it.

With many races beyond the Foxes having full citizenship among the Cartel other planets would also be settled for them within Cartel space. Despite their criminal origins, the Cartel was widely accepting holding to the philosophy of ensuring it was what you knew not who or what you were that mattered. Also, space was becoming a premium as populations continued to grow at a spectacular rate.

A massive achievement in Cartel ship construction techniques and technology arrived in 2433, seeing the titan class hull be approved for construction. Essentially a massive mobile weapons platform to be used as the flagship of each fleet, armed with quad kinetic batteries and a large pair of neutron torpedo launchers alone it dwarfed the firepower of even the Constantine class battleship before the main armament was considered. A vast spinal beam cannon referred to as the Perdition Beam with its main purpose to be the removal of starbases or enemy battleships quickly made it a fearsome vessel. One of which was immediately planned as the first fleet flagship.

A new class of ship is designed, the Oligarch-class Titan.

In the early days of 2441, the first artificial planetary habitat was constructed in Cartel space in orbit of a gas giant within the Janna system. This vast station was essentially a vast arcology and entirely self-sufficient, Janna had been selected to provide the nearby fortress with a means to bring the crews families closer to raise morale as well as ensure that their very first habitat station was well protected. Whilst many such projects were planned the sheer volume of resources required to construct even one strained the Cartel's economy, meaning fleet expansion plans were delayed causing at least two board members to be removed due to poor planning jeopardising a primary objective.

The first artificial habitat ever constructed by the Cartel, in orbit of a gas giant in the Janna system.

The galaxy at large seemed fairly stable and quiet with most empires focusing on internal issues, very little of note seemed to take place bar the passing of third fleet admiral Vibius Cluilius who had been venerated as a hero of the Cartel. Due to his efforts in the war with the Uriy Suns, a memorial was once again built along the road approaching the corporate headquarters, a road which many saw as a place to celebrate the heroes of the Cartel.

2443 saw the planet in the Hagawa system terraformed successfully and colonisation efforts began on Menturius Prime, the second of two planned fortress worlds whose primary purpose was to ensure the core of Cartel space remained safe. By not only training and equipping the military itself but by being such unassailable bastions in their own right that any invasion would simply break before being able to progress deeper into the core systems.

Mid-way through 2446 the Homolog Continuum proved to be a massive boon toward the scientific focus they had adopted. Seemingly as some kind of reward for agreeing to settle the planet in the Bitrius system they granted the Cartel a vast cache of precursor knowledge. This proved to mark a veritable golden age of research, something many in the Cartel took as a sign they were correct in their pursuit of science to give themselves the advantage. Would it be enough to help them best their rivals or even the great threat the Homolog continued to allude to? Only time would tell for certain.

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