Victoria II: Ecuador

Victoria II: My Grandmother's Homeland

Cosmical Rabbit and the Republic of Ecuador

My maternal grandmother is Ecuadorian. She’s surly and tough, but she would talk shit with anyone who would be willing to hear it. I dedicate this Feat or Fail to her, because she taught me many lessons, most of all to be patient. Victoria II requires patience because the game moves at it’s own pace, and I played this Feat or Fail on the slowest speed. Why? Because I was busy editing my first sequel.

I’ve always been a long-distance admirer of Paradox games. I can appreciate a lot of their work, even though I have not personally played much of it. I’ve always been interested in the pressure of internal politics and faction in-fighting. When my bro gave me Victoria II on Steam, he told me that I needed to check it out because it was right up my alley. And he was right!

Well, hello Brazil, please don't invade me! Also, Peru, we're cool, right?

This was not, strictly speaking, my first game of Vicky 2. It’s definitely the first one I played intensely. My first game was with Ecuador, where I was promptly invaded and tooled on my Peru. Having felt what it was to be pwned by a neighbor, I played a second game as Brazil, just to get a look at a larger power in the region. I actually put that game on the fastest speed and just let it go to see how it would evolve.

In this game, I focused on maintaining friendly relations with both Peru and Colombia. I found this to be largely non-interactive, though, and that is a shame. With so many systems at work in this game, especially the political parties, I figured there would be a more robust system of double-dealing in there, as it is, I basically just kept going to diplomacy and clicking a button to increase my standing with both.

Building the railroads definitely helped, although I still don't know how the economy changed

That’s not to say that nothing of interest was happening around Ecuador circa 1836, it’s just that I didn’t know much about any of it. Brazil and Chile declared war on Mexico and Colombia. Then Argentina declared war on Bolivia. Ecuador signed a military alliance with Venezuela in July 1936.

An outbreak of cholera in the Galapagos in 1839 necessitated a quarantine of the islands. The government imprisoned an Amazonian nationalist in 1840. Ecuadorian research was focused on Field Fortifications and Muzzle loaded rifles throughout 1881. By February 1983 we had Experimental Railroads.  In May 1843 Quito was struck by cholera and quarantined. Government officials give speeches for full citizenship and freedom of trade. Research continued into militaristic affairs such as dragoons, practical steam engines and breech loaded rifles. The government declares bankruptcy in March 1858. They blame the cholera. Into 1863 we were researching basic chemistry, military plans and early railroad. 

Our industrial capacity never really got off the ground

Throughout the 1860’s Ecuador was focused on expanding the railroads along the coastal regions without going bankrupt again. In 1876 a winery began production, followed by cement and fabric factories in ’78. Continuing to research industrial and military technologies along the way, the country debates free trade as the Anarcho-Liberals come to power in 1890. The Sixth Army is commissioned in Loja in 1891. Ecuador and Venezuela enter into an agreement to allow military access. We build a Naval Base in Guayaquil in January 1892. Those kinds of expenditures amount to an austerity government building in 1897.

In 1900 the national focus is on attracting capitalists, and planting spies amongst the labor unions. This kind of garbage leads to the first test of Ecuador’s struggling military capacity. On May 3^rd 1901 the Gran Colombian Nationalist Rebellion began when rebels rose up in Zamora, Quito, Loja, and Guayaquil. Rebels in Quito numbering nine thousand oust the three thousand uniformed army soldiers from the capital on May 5^th. The battle of Loja two weeks later was a victory for the loyalists even without a leader.

Brazil has sure made itself at home on our side of the continent...

On June 5^th 1901 Ricardo Blanco defeats the rebels in Guayaquil. He marches his army to Zamora and defeats the rebels there on June 21^st. The entire Ecuadorian army marches to the capital under Blanco’s leadership and retakes Quito at the end of August. Thus ended the first rebellion and I was glad we had invested in the military. The army expanded in 1903, adding another infantry and guard unit. Argentina goes bankrupt in 1906. Then in July 13^th, 1910 a second great cholera outbreak rocks the Galapagos, once again forcing quarantine.

While researching integral rail system and military logistics, the government starts taxing the rich. The Union Republicana party comes to power. I finally get to enact a social change in 1911 and I have my grandmother in my ear. “Education is very important” she likes to say. So we get a Basic School System going. In 1913 the economy crashed (how do I read you???) and the government basically went into full pay-for-nothing mode. Hero of the rebellion, General Ricardo Blano dies on February 18^th 1818. An outbreak of cholera strikes Esmeraldas in November 1919.

I'm sure Paradox players can look at this and see what matters, but Lord I can't yet!

In the first two weeks of 1922 a small rebellion of Anarcho-Liberals is put down in Quito. In September 1927 the government condones a blackshirt crackdown. Throughout 1928 scientists were consumed by social sciences and the combustion engine. But the peace was not to last, for on April 8^th 1928 a much larger rebellion of Anarcho-Liberals erupted across the country. Every province save the Galapagos Islands was suddenly occupied by bloodthirsty rebels.

General Moreno defeats the rebels in Quito on April the 13^th. Ezequiel Boyd finds victory against three thousand rebel soldiers without any loyalist forces. That guy is a beast. Seriously, 3k vs 0k and he came out the winner. Instant joint chief. Moreno marches to Zamora and kicks the rebels out on April 19^th. General Carreno wins in Esmeraldas and General Robles crush the rebels in Guayaquil in late April. Boyd marches to Yuncos and Robles to Puca Urco. They both take back the provinces by the end of May. 

This was my first time having a legit uprisings in Victoria II, and it was a fun fight everytime

The post war period yielded an economic boom by November 1928. In the hot August summer of 1929, Fascist anti-minority propaganda was spreading in the country, elected leaders denouncing it (like you do!). Next store in Peru, I see Fascist rebels. We don’t want none of that mess. The rabble get all stired up by the speeches of one Red John in December 1930. General Robles dies on March 5^th 1931 just as the Flu Pandemic fight is in full swing. We upgrade to Good School Systems in 1932.

Despite the government’s hands-off approach to beer halls and the like, there is a drunken riot in the early morning hours of January 6^th 1933. As if taking that as a challenge, the Anarcho-Liberals rebel in September 1933. They form armies in Zamora, Tena and Yurimagus. The Battle of Zamora was won by General Boyd on September the 30^th. The battles of Tena and Yurimagus culminated in victories for the loyalists in October.

Although my army was relatively diverse, I never could tell what any of those units *did* though...

General Boyd’s victory in Guayaquil did not deter the rebel spirit. The battle of Zamora on April 20^th 1934 resulted in a scattered government army when General Marino was defeated. Boyd lost in Loja on May 4th. Then lost again two weeks later. Finally, General Andueza took command and led the Ecuadorian forces to victory over the last rebel army in Loja. 1935 was a year spent on recovery, researching inorganic chemistry and army infiltration.

In 1958 a war with Bolivia and Uruguay on one side and Peru and Argentina on the other was raging beyond our borders. But darned if I could see anything that was going on, like, there’s even a crisis over it and I have no way to interact. I don’t mean to be a Civhead, and I know everyone royally hates the Spies (I miss my Probe Teams[link]), but at least a unit like that to open up the fog and see the world around me would be nice. To be fair, Ecuador’s not exactly a “Major Power” and for a game this complex, I understand only a thimbleful. If there’s a way to get eyes into the world, let me know about it.

Laugh if you have to, I enjoyed myself and learned a ton in my 100 year game without a foreign war

When the game ended it occurred to me that I had never had a foreign war. I consider that a Feat in and of itself, but also finishing a Paradox game to the time limit on the slowest speed setting. I do think that the next time I sit down with Victoria II I’ll play the cultural track first, see how that changes things. Overall I had fun, I just still haven’t fully come to understand the game itself, so I can’t say how bad I did.

Verdict: FEAT

Seriously, how do I affect these numbers?

FTL: A Short Lived Sunspot

FTL: A Short Lived Sunspot 

Cosmical Rabbit and the USS Sunspot
 

I have not played very many roguelike games, firstly because I am a weak gamer at my best, and secondly because I don't have much of a stomach for constant restarting. I discovered Faster Than Light on the recommendation of a friend from work. Although I'm no glutton for punishment, I do appreciate playing FTL because I'm a sci-fi fan and because every run definitely feels unique. I have not, however, ever played it on Hard before this playthru. 

In keeping with the theme of this on-going experiment in my gaming life, I decided this would be the first time I play on hard. It's also one of the first handful of campaigns I've played with the Kestrel-B deck plan. Knowing that there was no chance I would beat the Boss (because I haven't even done that on Easy) I figured my stated goal should be to get six unique aliens. That should be doable, right?

Right?

I started my flight from the evil Rebel Fleet by taking a bribe from a pirate ship. Being my first foray into Hard FTL, I didn't think it prudent to start a fight with a pirate so early on. So I let whatever poor merchant ship get pirated and took my bribe with me on my way out. At my next beacon I found a Rebel attacking a defenseless outpost and decided I should finally start to be someone respectable. 

Good looking fight, we're gonna be ok, right?

I finish off the rebel and zoom off to my next beacon. In true roguelike fashion, the map changes with each game and making your way through the sectors can be chaotic on the best of runs. Almost immediately regretting the path I chose, I found myself in one of the worst kinds of beacons: a star pumping out a near-constant flow of solar flares. Add to that a pirate ship getting fresh with you and that spells a pretty bad day at the office.

When I said "I'm on fire today" I didn't mean it in the good way

Each time a solar flare passes through it sets fire to a handful of rooms aboard your ship. Luckily I was able to force the pirate ship to surrender. When one of the rooms so set aflame was my cockpit, I quickly ordered Knoidia (my pilot) to get the hell out of dodge. You'll notice the pink regions onboard the Sunspot have no oxygen, but that's actually on purpose this time. Venting the rooms atmosphere quickly kills the inferno. Then it was just a rush to repair and jump out before another solar flare started it all over again.

At the next beacon we were greeted with a Rockship that needed fuel. I gave some fuel to them (hoping in no small way for a free Rock alien, even knowing that wasn't one of the rewards). They gave us a system map as payment (which is one of my least favorite rewards). On the way out of the sector we ignored a slaver at the exit beacon, thinking it better to cut our losses in the sector rather than lick more wounds on the other side.

 Fighting pirates is a full-time job in FTL

At every other sector (sometimes more frequently) the game gives you a choice between two different types of sectors to enter. My choice for sector 2 was between a Mantis-controlled sector and a pirate-controlled sector. What I know about Mantis ships is simple: they like to board, and they slash your guts out when they do. I had no interest in gut slashing, so decided to roll the dice against the pirates. 

Almost immediately, I meet with a slaver that demands one of my crew members for passage. First, I'm trying to get six alien species here, not lose one of my four (a random one at that) to a worthless asteroid-stain like a slaver. So I happily decline their demand and fight the good fight.

I'm a proud root'n toot'n laser shoot'n slaver hater

Once passed the slaver, we find a pirate ship stuck on an asteroid. Once again, I figure I might have some (small) chance of getting another crew member from the ship, so I order the ship to aid them. I'm proven wrong (FTL isn't a game that encourages wanton Picard-level selflessness)when the ship takes immediate hull damage. I finally upgrade the shields to level two and the Sunspot finds itself in an asteroid belt facing off with a pirate scout.

 This isn't really going according to plan, is it?

I just away from the asteroid belt (you'll note that I didn't take any screenshots because I was trying desperately to get out of dodge) and find myself and my crew facing a pirate bomber on the other side. With my hull already severely damaged all I want is to find a port to repair in.

 Getting him to surrender felt great, but it was a Pyrrhic victory indeed.

 The map didn't give me any places of refuge and so I plowed ahead into the void, as one inevitably does in FTL. At this point, I knew that unless I got extremely lucky on my next encounter, I wasn't going to make it far. This game isn't forgiving even on easy, and I knew that hard wasn't going to hold my hand to sector three.

 This is the end, my only friend, the end.

But then I ran into another well-armed Rebel ship. And when I heard the unmistakable sound of a transporter in operation, I knew that I was a cooked turkey. My doors had not been upgraded, and the intruder immediately stepped foot into the cockpit without a single obstacle. This isn't exactly what I'd call a good hand. But sometimes that's the only hand you get in FTL.

Seemed like they sent over that guy to die aboard the Sunspot on purpose...

I enjoyed my return to FTL after a long hiatus, especially for Feat or Fail, but I can't say I'm particularly proud of this run. One good missile ended it, and I had never even seen Sector Three. I will eventually come back to this game, though, and hopefully I can put on a better show next time. The Sunspot was a good ship, but I think choosing the Kestrel-B was part of the reason for my quick demise. Lasers are all good fun, but I missed having a missile in my repertoire.

Verdict: Fail

Score: 607
Ships defeated: 5
Beacons explored: 19
Scrap collected: 115

The Chironi Republic of Alpha Centauri

Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire

Chironi Republic and Cosmical Rabbit

Today I revisit one of the first strategy games that stole a cool hundred hours from my youth. I have very many fond memories of beating back hordes of Believers and overcoming the tyranny of the Human Hive. Back in those days, I almost always chose to play as the University, because even back then I was a techhead. I have been thinking about starting this Feat or Fail series for a while, and Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri is the perfect starting point.

My headquarters at the end of the game

SMAC was one of the very first 4X games I ever played. I believe it came with a computer my father purchased at some point. He was not one for turn-based games, or really, anything that you couldn’t pick up and play in a half hour. I watched him play Dune 2 and Command & Conquer, but I think SMAC was a little too “out there” for him. I, however, fell almost instantly in love. From the unit design workshop and weather patterns all the way to the diplomacy, I was enthralled as much by the mechanics as by the universe itself.

I had never had the opportunity to play the expansion, Alien Crossfire, and today’s after action report is my first official dive into the new experience.  I remember when I had learned about the expansion, I was most excited about the new factions available. In that vein, I decided to do this AAR as the Free Drones, the group I was most interested in trying. I won’t lie to you, the rust was real and I could see it from the early power rankings. Especially since I was so used to playing with a tech lead, I definitely felt that research penalty.

I decided to choose the standard map of Planet for this game, because I think it offered the most “balanced” start and because I have fond memories of fighting over it and the larger version and wanted to go back to the “official” sci-fi world of my youth. It didn’t take long for me to meet my first faction, and an old nemesis: Chairman Yang of the Human Hive. He immediately reminded me of our old battle wounds when he declared war at the opening interaction.

Chairman Yang must have remembered our past, because he attacked my scout immediately.

After cranking out some early rovers, I was able to strong arm Yang into an early demise (Do or Die wasn’t enabled, so he escaped to the continent I would later find out had the Data Angels). I met the University and began aggressively expanding to the southeast in order to cover as much of my side of the continent as I could manage.

I signed a Pact of Brotherhood with the Data Angels, knowing full well that eventually my friendship with them would lead to conflict with the University. Neither of the Crossfire alien factions seemed interested in being friendly, and I knew that the Data Angels were the only other faction left on Planet I had a chance to ally with long-term.

Victory City used to be called The Hive

I was pretty nervous with the idea of attacking the Caretakers to the north. Since this was my first time playing Alien Crossfire, I thought they might be a little too far ahead technologically. Knowing that I would need to fight Miriam at some point I sent over a force of three transports filled with rovers. They landed and successfully took over a coastal city but were wiped out by a Probe Team on the next turn. As my (I admit to being fairly reckless during this playthru) defenseless transports were making their way east toward my waters, they were brutally ambushed by Caretaker ships.

  This was my southern expansion, racing against the University for land

Fall of Tau Ceti

My invasion forces were positioned in the University jungle cities, so it wasn’t far for them to be redirected to Tau Ceti Memory, the only Caretaker city on our continent. Once I had the ability to start construction of Needlejets I began mass production in every available base. After fighting off the lackluster invasion of Anvil Canal, my Needlejets began operations to liberate the Caretaker mainland. Rovers landed on the eastern shore and rolled into each defenseless base the Needlejets opened up.

War in the north

On the homefront, I finally switched my social engineering to Democracy and Knowledge around 2371. I normally would have made both a priority to switch into, but drone riots prevented me earlier. Having spent most of my SMAC life below this difficulty level, I am fairly sure that I had developed a great many bad habits, especially regarding drones.

Next was the war with the Believers, this time I was ferrying troops in from the former Caretaker island instead of my homeland. I captured the eastern shores and the Believer HQ around 2390. Believers had anti-aircraft weapons so my air force took heavier losses. But once again this was a clinic on why SMAC’s AI is often weak: they simply cannot deal with a user with air superiority.

Believer HQ shoreline captured

The last Believer city fell in 2411, and the University eradicated the Caretakers in 2419. By 2421 I moved into a Free Market economy and immediately experienced widespread drone riots. I launched my first satellite in 2426 (Angels were first in 2418) and helped the Angels fight back against the Usurpers. The final Usurper city fell in 2437 and I knew that the time limit (and an inevitable showdown) was coming close.

Usurpers down

Between 2440 and 2460 I moved my forces back to my mainland and began major preparations for a full-scale invasion of the University. Yes, I was scrupulous, and I was preparing to betray my longest ally, but I knew that logistically there was no way I would be able to invade the Angels and come out ahead. They had already become so big and had such an enormous military that it would have been certain suicide for the Republic of Chiron.

 University war

In 2470 I declared war on the University and by 2484 the University mainland cities had all fallen to my rovers. They only held the former (and final) Caretaker island and a dozen sea colonies. Just before the time limit rang loud, Roze of the Data Angels called a vote for Supreme Leader. Obviously, with her population she was positioned to win the game, and at that moment I decided it was better to be on the winning side than to lose to her at the time limit.

 

End of a friendship

So in 2488 Datajack Roze became Supreme Leader and Cosmical Rabbit became the Panultimate Leader. Looking back over the game, I can see that the rust contributed greatly to my second-place finish. I didn’t prioritize Secret Projects at all (University got most of them), it took me nearly forever to get my core cities developed with Formers. Also, I didn’t maximize my Social Engineering well enough, nor invest in Psych to keep the riots at bay. I also could’ve used more Probe Teams, as I know I didn’t utilize them much after getting all the faction datalinks stolen. The only reason I survived as long as I did was 1) the enfeebled AI, 2) spoils of war, and finally, 3) air superiority (see point 1).

Scoreboard

I enjoyed returning to Planet, and I definitely plan to do another Feat or Fail without the Alien Crossfire expansion in the future. I didn't find the "always war" aspect of the Aliens to add much, and I can't lie that I missed some of the original factions. I hope that you enjoyed this first installment of Feat or Fail, and I encourage you to make suggestions for making this series better in the future.

Verdict: Fail. 

I came in second place, even if I did piggyback my way to the victory screen. 

Thanks for the assist Data Angels!

Settings:
Difficulty: Transcend
Available win conditions (all)

Higher Goal

Total War

Peace in our time

Mine, all mine

Tech stagnation

Spoils of war

Blind research

No unity survey

No unit scattering