Nerds in Space: Return of the Player
Lord Darth Vader strode urgently through the halls of Rome's Palace or, as he liked to call it, Central Command. That was a bit of any oxymoron since
no commands had been issued in quite some time. Vader burst into the control room ready to chew someone someone's face off, but found only a lone guard, asleep at his desk.
"Hey, wake up!" Vader demanded, using the Force to pinch the guard's nose. "Who's in charge here?"
"Hugh-guh-hup?!" the guard sputtered. He looked around blearily before noticing the six-foot tall black wraith before him. "Oh! Lord Vader! Um . . . Commander Hodge is in charge. I think."
"Where is he?"
"He's been on bathroom break."
"For how long . . . ?"
"Um . . . " the guard checked his watch. Then the calendar. "About a week, I think."
"A week?! How could someone be on bathroom break for a--" Vader stopped midsentence as he noticed a light flashing on the guard's console. Gesturing, he said, "what is that?"
"Hm? Oh, it looks like I got some messages while I was, um, indisposed. Let's listen."
January 5th, 12:13 PM: Hey, this is Commander Hodge. Um, you're not going to believe this, but I fell in. So . . . can someone get me out?"
January 5th, 12:15 PM: This is Commander Hodge again. Very funny guys, rerouting my toilet to the garbage smasher. Now let me out, it's scheduled to start soon.
January 5th, 12:18 PM: Hey! Hey!! Listen, get me out of here! I was just attacked by some kind of tentacle monster! I fought it off, but I heard some kind of mechanical sounds! Hey? Are you guys there?!
January 5th, 12:20 PM: Guys! Shut down all the garbage mashers on command level! Shut down all the--YEAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHH----
-End of Messages-
". . . . Huh," said the guard.
"Urgh," Vader sighed, palming his face-mask. "Look, just . . . take care of things, alright? We've got a schedule to keep." With that, he left, muttering about the absurdities he has to put up with.
"Sweet, I got a promotion!" the guard cheered. Then he went back to sleep.
Inherited Turn 212, 580 AD
Got a good look at things. Everything's going alright, although Hoth Base Campe could have used a Work Boat before the Granary. I'll try to expand a bit this set.
-End Turn-
Turn 213, 595 AD
Buddhism spreads to Rome. Mon Calamari is the only city without it now. I'll adopt the religion; it should make Saladin less likely to kill us.
-End Turn-
Turn 215, 625 AD
Rome: Work Boat > Work Boat
Ridikulus: Courthouse > Axeman
Hoth Base Camp: Granary > Work Boat
-End Turn-
Turn 217, 655 AD
Rome: Work Boat > Settler
Mon Calamari is about to become unhappy. Forgot to check up on that problematic city! I 2-pop whip the Forum. There.
-End Turn-
Turn 218, 670 AD
Mon Calamari: Forum > Forge
Crap. Our returning Galleys show that Saladin beat us to the Iron island. We'll have to do something about that.
-End Turn-
Turn 219, 685 AD
Absurd: Courthouse > Lighthouse
-End Turn-
Turn 220, 700 AD
Antium: Barracks > Axeman
Do some silly tech trading.
Sell Alphabet to Saladin for Meditation and Archery and 215 gold.
Can't buy Aesthetics off of Zara on the cheap, so I don't.
-End Turn-
Turn 221, 715 AD
Zara wants Construction for Aesthetics and some cash. No, Saladin doesn't have Construction yet.
-End Turn-
Turn 222, 730 AD
Rome: Settler > Harbor (for health and income)
Ridikulus: Axeman > Forge
Take the Settler and an Axeman east. Probably settle SW of the Iron island (put a sign there). It'd be nice to settle on all those dyes, but that's probably stretching it at this point.
After we tech machinery, we should learn HORSEBACK RIDING for Elephants! AT-APs! Yeah!
Here's a couple overviews of our, um, empire. Not at all a motley collection of junk towns!
For our larger cities, consider stagnating with specialists rather than whipping. Hiring a few scientists would probably do wonders for our tech rate.
)
, because the cities in question are going to gain at most two hammers from them. It might be better to skip 'em for now, and try to get a jump on the military builds.
