Okay, I am going to break it into digestible parts.
Also, why haven't you said anything when we discussed this before in Russia? I understand you cannot read everything in all those threads of both parties, but this went through some messages at least. We denied Meson buildup because we thought it was immoral or against the game's spirit, and now we stand here, having none, and hearing about glorious righteous winning scenarios because "you fools should have done it too".
Yeah, we would have.
My job is to be a admin, not a strategy coach- I will correct something that is a turn stopping error, or something that is data-driven since I have access to the database and you guys just have screenshots. For example, Everyone started with 32 missile bases, if someone says "they have 15 bases" I would correct them. Ignoring the fact that Meson armed ships can attack ground targets though atmosphere, and say, laser or Mass driver armed ships cannot is something that comes from the realm of game knowledge, and dare I say a choice early on on what type of beam weapon ships to build.
Secondly Mesons are NOT "Game over" since you can research and build TN-missiles before a Meson system can come online. Russia hasn't built a single PDC or ship, while the other teams have built at least 4 probes, PDCs, or in the case of the FSA, two ships. Russia failed to build ANYTHING to upgrade their military.
Also, I
don't share admin information.
It not my job as admin to make sure you had a sound strategy. The FSA was well prepped for a meson rush, and had a active sensor and Meson-proof missiles in hand. Now mind you, this is even after I am doing specific things to handicap the FSA. If the FSA can make it happen, so could Russia, maintaining MAD is by default a early game goal.
As said, yes, we would not have destroyed NAU at this time, but if we'd known that meson ground attack is perfectly good sports in this game, we would have shifted all investment to that too, as it is perfectly logical to do that with it becoming the sudden most prominent winning factor of PvP Aurora.
So with us on that same table, the whole thing would have played out differently, depending mostly whether we actually finished our PDC early, or NAU.
Not correct again.
The FSA, NAU, or Russia can easily develop TN missiles that nullify mesons as a game breaking weapon before a team can build a Meson system that can take out 320 ICBMS. This is a simple as looking at the game.
Meson Rush vs. TNICBM rush
TNICBM requires
PWR - 1500
Nuclear Thermal engines - 2500
1.5 EP NT missile engine 75 points
Size 5 missile with one engine, .1 in fuel, and a warhead that does 4 damage with 14 agility (also a range of 90 million KM and a speed of 6000 KM/S) - 124 RP
Congrats, you have TNICBMs for the cost of 4,199 RP
Mesons require
PWR - 1500
10 CM meson - 1000
Meson focusing - 1000
Beam fire Control - 1000
Fire control Speed - 2000
Fire Control S01.2 20-2500 - 80RP
R1.5/C1 Meson Cannon 300RP
Active Sensor - 1000
Active Search Sensor MR0-R1 100RP
total: 7,980
Or to be blunt - it takes 190% of the effort to rush a meson base as it does to build TNICBMs. I have said it before in this thread.
So I am going to be Really blunt about it.
The fact is - if we are playing "Hardcore" -
Russia lost in Turn 9. You guys failed to do a number of things.
You failed to make any sorts of friend or allies
you failed to do anything to make Russia safe from TN weapons
The NAU didn't Rush Mesons - they been launching Probe at Trans-newtownian speeds for months. That should of alerted you that NAU had TN-engine tech.
this isn't about spirit of the game, this is just failing do basic things to protect yourself.
Now luckily, I am playing the FSA as mostly friendly unless you screw them over. The "Peacekeeper" system was of zero threat to the FSA for the following reasons.
We had built a understanding with the NAU
We invested and made sure even if the NAU decided to go aggressive on us, we had TNICBMs online so that at least we could get a nuke in retaliation if they strike.
Now mind you, the FSA was able to do that even with.
--Building two ships for nothing more then role playing.
--building a vastly overpowered sensor array
--designing and building the "De beers" survey probes
--a number of Classified projects
All prior to designing and building our "Honey Badger" system
And we STILL beat the NAU "Rush" to mesons. and that with the FSA handicaps.
So deciding that I really didn't want to end the game on turn 9 for Russia as admin
-- even if it was no fault of the NAU,
I was forced to make Meta choices for to continue the game.
Thus the FSA forced the NAU to backdown on Russia, even if Russia was opposed to FSA policies. Which
mind you screwed over the FSA long term plans, ruined FSA diplomacy, Ruined the good fun of the NAU players who had caught your with your pants down, and best yet, the FSA is not demanding a long list of concessions for this. This is due to the fact that I am acting as the admin, not a FSA player. If I was playing as a player, I would of simply let the NAU walk over you with a treaty dealing with letting the NAU and FSA claim asteroids without fighting.
To the credit of the NAU players --
After I screwed them over for the betterment of the game. They have at least the courtesy not to complain and understand that I made choices for the continuation of the game, not the best for the FSA. The fact is that they beat you not with a "Meson Rush", but due to the poor planning on team Russia.
To complain about Meson Rushes when:
It wasn't a meson rush
And the Admin though the FSA bailed you out without even a thank you
is rather off-putting.
Chillax dude, then end results is that we wasted time designing tech and systems that are of no use because apparently first strikes have been banned now.
To be fair, it forcing the FSA and Russia to spend a lot of money and effort upgrading their missile systems. Also first strikes are not banned, just discouraged. I am the first to call out my mistakes as a admin - and I failed to figure out something that would of rewarded you for correct play.
Don't worry, since we cannot let you have all the cold war MAD arms race fun by yourselves we are wasting some resources into it too.
Indeed, the FSA and Russia will have to spend plenty of time and money making sure that MAD survives....