RaNDom-0?

[Whosit]

Proposed third site is good, in no small part because it doesn't heavily require calendar.

As for wheat town, one of the reasons I'd suggest settling on the wheat, unless you find another location nearby to be significantly superior, is because the gain from farming the wheat would be fairly minimal. It's on desert and has no irrigation, so I think it would become a 3 food tile. Settling on wheat gives the city square 3 food and puts the crab, furs, and whales in range. Yeah, we could always get whales in the 3rd ring, but why not the BFC? I think this spot should be semi-priority, especially once we have calendar.

Though maybe we'll get a chance to see what else is further north. Once we get some axemen running about, we can probably use one or two to safely scout.

 

[sturick]

Poised to play tomorrow morning.
I will settle the cow/fish/fur site.

Since there seems to be quite a movement to switch to 3.19 I figured I check to see if we can switch here too.

The only two people I am unsure of conversion are Sweetachson and Ojimijam.
So if you could let me know before tomorrow that would be awesome!

Wouldn't it be ironic if I were to play in 3.19 for my next set considering what went down in my first attempt!

 

[Whosit]

Yeah, I can switch, as all other SGs I'm in are poised to upgrade, as well.

sturick: Since you have a dual install (last I heard), I suppose you can always play in 3.17 if you don't hear from Sweet, and we can figure out the upgrade issue after that.

 

[Sweetacshon]

I have dual install as well, as i was in sgotm. This is my last piece of 3.17, so I'm happy to be rid of it.

 

[sturick]

Very well...when I play tomorrow it will be in 3.19 and all of its glory!

I agree with Sweet on this one...good riddance!
By the way Sweet, who is your avatar? I saw the same one playing poker the other day. Just curious.

 

[Sweetacshon]

That, my friend, is Alex DeLarge. If you're not familiar with Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, I demand you rectify the situation right now!!

 

[sturick]

Lessons on the Importance of Axes and Fogbusting

Preturn

On a cloudy day, the former ruler of Randomania suddenly collapses into a coma.
Just before he did he whispered something about losing his super powers given to him by the sun.
Nonsensical ramblings of a crazy person if you ask me.

As his second-in-command I was appointed to oversee the country while our leader recovered.
So lets do that shall we?

Randommania looks good...settler due in 7.
I hear grumblings from the warrior defending the city....he's bored.
His incessant whining annoys me. I send him to fogbust for the new city.
I tell him to bring me back some sushi, a glass of milk and a coonskin cap.

I send Ron out to prepare the truffles for wide spread sale.
I want the whole world to know of our delicious truffles.
Especially Catherine...foxy lady!
We will need to advertise, determine our key demographics, and build warehouses to store them.
So much will need to be done and quickly.

Ron says: "So you just want me to build a cottage, right?"

Meanwhile, at Heliohille, the fisherman are producing quite the bounty and feeding the citizens. However, the farmers are complaining about not having any place to store the grains that they are harvesting. I tell them that we are building a granary to serve that purpose so don't get your knickers all twisted. Apparently, the crops are ready for harvest NOW and they can't wait 25 years for the granary to be completed. I don't appreciate them telling me what to do so they are sent to build it themselves.
Funny, I never heard back from those farmers.

Rons buddy Jon is going to build the copper mine for us.
I like shiny things...plus I have this stack of wood behind the castle that I really need chopped.

I receive word from Kenishi that the views from his mountain resort are spectacular.
He can see for miles around and is quite relaxed on his vacation.
I am happy for him. He worked hard and deserves some rest and relaxation.
My advisors later tell me that we don't do "vacation" and that Kenishi is surrounded by marauding barbarians. Whoopsies!

Ready to begin my stint as leader, I tell my new assistant to turn on the Itunes.
He asks what song I would like to listen to.
I tell him to surprise me.

(1) 1650 BC

Kenishi's vacation home was attacked by barbarians.
He hits them over the head with his club...problem solved!

Scouts to the north spot an archer roaming the countryside as well as a warrior to the east.
We need axes and we need them now I say!

Catherine has converted to Islam...sounds like there will some religious dischord amongst our neighbors! Fine by me!

(2) 1625 BC

Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island...discuss.

(3) 1600 BC

Its still gonna take me a while to get used to the crazy things we are gonna see on this map.
Take for example...plains oasis right next to an ice covered silk field.
Cats and dogs living together...Mass Hysteria!

(4) 1575 BC

As you can see, Kenishi and Tarzan have set up quite the trap for our little friend here!

(5) 1550 BC

Wolfsbane could be in trouble here.

When I moved into the tile I was hoping to lure the wounded warrior (1.5 strength) on the left into battle. Little did I know that he would have a buddy to help him out.
If we can win flawless, or close to it, with the first battle then we might just make it.

Ron completes the Truffles Emporium!
Why he insists on calling it a cottage I will never know!
He will now road the way towards our third city and help out with improvements there.

Update on Heliohille. Lighthouse in production.
I actually placed a warrior in the queue and waited a turn before whipping the granary earlier.
That way we got a warrior for defense and the whip overflow got doubled into the granary.
If i just whipped the granary straight away then we don't get the expansive bonus.
And that kids is how Tarzan was born.

(6) 1525 BC

Update on Wolfsbane.
The full strength warrior attacked first...and we win flawlessly!
The injured warrior ran like a little girl...we will hunt him down.
Woody III is one point away!

I was slighty ignorant about the techplan...I neglected to see that the furs would be immediately available to our new city. I honestly thought I had to pop borders to work the premium tiles so I waited on researching hunting. I start that now and hopefully it won't be delayed too long.

(7) 1500 BC

Kenishi claims another victim with his Club of Destruction!

Randomania finishes the settler.
The city is currently at the happy cap so I will place a library in the queue with the intent to 2pop whip it before we grow to unhappiness. Then we can ride out the whip penalty with a worker build.

Wolfsbane is still chasing the injured warrior around.

(8) 1475 BC

How this is even possible I don't know...baffled!

Can someone explain to me why the words good and food don't rhyme???

(9) 1450 BC

On the frozen tundra...Lambeau Field is founded!
The citizens immediately begin building a statue of Vince Lombardi.
And to think...I am a Bears fan!

Wolfsbane is successful in hunting down his prey!
His reward is a Woody III promotion.

(10) 1425 BC

Tarzan has a 50/50 shot of surviving contact with an archer next turn.

Well a 3pop whip will have to do in Randomania.
We get 54 overflow...too bad we don't have copper hooked yet or else we could place the overflow into an axe.

(11) 1400 BC

Tarzan survives his encounter with the archer but a warrior steps up to replace him.
Tarzan in turn scurries away to heal in safety.

Barbs are advancing on our capital...this picture doesn't tell the whole story.
The archer you see also has a warrior in the same tile.

So I will use the overflow to create two warriors for defense...we should be fine.
The same probably can't be said for our cornfields.

(12) 1375 BC

Heliohille whips its lighthouse.
Randomania's two bored defenders should have their hands full next turn...whoever said garrison duty was boring was wrong! At least next turn they will be!

(13) 1350 BC

In good news the archer/warrior combo decide not to pillage our corn!
They also decide to throw themselves at the walls of our capital and die!
The trailing warrior steps onto our desert corn.
To prevent it from potentially being pillaged I will take our new warrior and attack with 68% odds. If he wins he gets a cool name!
If he dies...he will be laughed at by our bored defenders.

He wins.
I shall dub thee...Rather Dashing.

Your country thanks you for saving the cornfields from Total Burnination!
(I apologize if you don't get my reference here...as it was mainly intended for Whosit!)

Here is a link if you are curious.
It probably won't really clear anything up but here it is anyways.
http://homestarrunner.com/filmstyle_trogdor.html

So our capital is safe from Barbarian bandits...for now.
Axes will make me feel much safer.

(14) 1325 BC

Why is baseball the only sport where the offensive player can't touch the ball?

(15) 1300 BC

My lucky poker hands are 67 suited and pocket tens.

(16) 1275 BC

Rather Dashing is probably going to be tested again by another archer that came from the north. I promote him to cover as it provides 5% more defensive bonus than does woodsman does. Wish him luck!

(17) 1250 BC

Finally some action!

Rather Dashing and Tarzan both dispatch Barbarian intruders this turn!
Very well done!

However, now we have a problem brewing at Lambeau Field.
I was unprepared for axes to start popping up and I am paying the price now.

Our only real hope of saving Lambeau Field is if the axeman doesn't move SW next turn. Cuz if he does then the city is toast!
In a weak attempt to distract the axe I send Rather Dashing to hill 2SE of the axe.
Its the best I can do.

Thanks to overflow from the monument I whipped from Randomania we will produce an axe next turn...but he would be too late to save the city. Fingers crossed that the axe steers clear of Lambeau!

(18) 1225 BC

Unfortunately, we will be losing Lambeau Field.
The axe did not take my bait.
This really sucks and I apologize for not properly protecting it.
Not much more for me to say really.
Off with my head!

In my next pathetic effort to save the city I move the defender outside of the city in the hopes that the axe will attack him in the woods!
Who knows...it might just work!

(19) 1200 BC

Alas...Lambeau falls.
I was too focused on the Barbs coming from the east that I neglected to protect our northern borders.

Not my best work today people.

I think I will clean up my mess and call it a set.

Heliohille whips its barracks.

(20) 1175 BC

Heliohille uses the overflow to start a settler due in 10 turns.

I would throw in another non-sequiteur here but not in the mood anymore...

(21) 1150 BC

Well now I have to since nothing happened this turn.

Why is it that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot while anyone driving faster than you is a maniac?

(22) 1125 BC

Last turn as all of our new defenders are in place. Well almost...the warrior to the north should move 1NW onto the jungled hill.
I figure that Randomania can build a settler too after it finishes its current axe build.
That way the settler from Helio can settle either the iron/banana site or the wheat blocker site. Then the settler from Random can replant on Lambeaus ashes...

Roster

Sturick ---> just played poorly
Sweetachson ---> gets to clean up my mess
Sengir
Mighty Dwaarf
OJImijam
Whosit

 

[Whosit]

Rather Dashing? More like, Rather Homely.

Thanks for the reference.

I enjoyed the narrative style and things were looking good until the end there. Though if we really want to talk about fault and ultimate cause, my placement of Heliohille delayed the acquisition of copper. Perhaps the next city up north will have a sports themed name, as well.

Anyway, I'm sure that Sweet will oblige us by cranking out plenty of axemen and hopefully settling a few more cities for us.

I'm generally impressed by your use of the whip and overflow knowledge; I still haven't learned the nuances of that.

Hmm, and I suppose if we grade people by that driving rubric, I'm an idiot more often than a maniac. Though, I prefer to think of myself as "reasonable" and "law-abiding." (On a side note, I was passed last week by a guy doing about 80. In a 45 zone. I think I can safely call him a "maniac.")

I'll open the save in a bit to make a better judgment, but I wonder how far we ought to expand early on. Would we do better with a smaller number of high-value cities, or do we really want to push down the slider by expanding as far as possible? Also, I was quite surprised that we were dead last in tech after all those goody-techs we got. I suppose we are playing at a higher level, though, which explains the high number of barbarians.

 

[Sweetacshon]

Got it. Might just be able to play tonight, but no promises.

 

[Sweetacshon]

Well, this will be a pretty poor report, because for some reason, the autolog didn't autolog, and that's where I make my notes. So I can only give you a snapshot and what I can remember based on screenshots. I also wasn't sure how many turns I played, and it felt a bit long, if so, then sorry.

So, we start with 2 cities and 2 workers... it's a little grim being last in score. We limp over the line to alphabet as I whip furiously to get some cities up. We now have 5 cities in all, but any more in the very near term will be suicide, as we're running at only 20% slowly toward aesthetics which is typically good for a trade. After alphabet, I notice that only one AI, can't remember who, doesn't have writing, so I trade that for animal husbandry. I also opened borders with most civs, as everyone is still happy with each other (and now happier with us), we can use the extra in each city, and perhaps we'll gain a religion. Keep an eye on worst enemies, tho, because no doubt we'll want to close some borders at some point. Other trades aren't so good, really. Archery, of course, is available, but who needs it? And Augustus will offer maths, but apparently our alpha isn't good enough for that. We could try to put some extra into maths to make it cheaper, but perhaps AC is researching alpha himself,and probably faster than we could offset it with maths. So, we have to plug along and get the new cities up to speed. To aid this I built a few workers, but we really could use another 2-3 in the next set or so. I don't see us settling more too soon, but future sites should probably be out here

or to the south across the lake. There is a party of axemen in that shot that might make good work of some barbs if available. Otherwise, the 2 main cities are building walls (on Cathy's border - she has been known to stab), and a spear for the same reason. I have been trying to get a GS for an academy by keeping at least one scientist running, and I suggest hiring another when the city grows again.

Speaking of which, some barb units, including swords turned up, and I had to reroute 2 axes to be sure, and Lincoln nabbed the barb city from under my nose (to the north)! I've decided I don't like him and want him dead.

Spoiler barb action :

Spoiler other info :

Sorry for the dodgy report, but if the autolog just randomly doesn't work... well that's the nature of this game.

 

[Whosit]

Ha ha, I guess a perk with this game is that you can blame things on it. I've always written my reports as I play, but to each their own.

I took a peek at the save, in part to see what towns we have. You certainly got into the spirit of the game with these. I do kind of like "Mmmm...toast.," though I will probably just refer to it as "toast" for brevity's sake. Though, regarding "Choas," did you perhaps mean "Chaos?"

I had some ideas for new city spots, though Cathy took one already, one that grabbed crabs and more whales to our east. Maybe we can take it from her as it looks like she settled right on my dot. I also had a filler that would grab the bonus oasis, though exploring and settling south to get the marble and elephants may be wiser, and I have a dot to our north east to kind of seal off the land passage. I'll upload pics, or try to.

Anyway, things look pretty good, low science rate notwithstanding. With Choas/Chaos, it seems I was mistaken, though. The city square is only getting 2 food, but I really thought settling on a resource applies the resource bonus (wheat adds +1 food to the square) to the city square. Huh. Well, getting a lighthouse and a couple fishing boats out, well, one until we get optics, should help the town feed all of its squares.

We're probably a ways off from Calendar, but depending on how things go, we may end up putting a plantation over the sugar mine if we're in need of more happiness.

Oh: Get a worker to road both of our corn! Not only will it help movement there, but then we can send a corn off for trade. And, of course camp and road the furs by Choas/Chaos for the same reasons. No one is offering any resources that we need, but once someone gets currency, we might be able to trade for gpt.

Getting another worker or two out would probably be helpful, as well.

Oh, and as for odd terrain, if you look to our east, in what's now Cathy's territory, this is a block of ice that is actually a frozen-over lake. Huh.

Anyway, things look pretty good, I'd say. Crazy good.

Spoiler :

 

[Sweetacshon]

Chaos was intended, but Choas is amusing enough. Whatever.

Your 2 red dots are pretty junky... I'd be in no rush to settle them, but as you said, may be good for filler in the direction we want to head, so we need to scout to where we want o put the "real" good cities. Green is fairly good, but the distance from us and proximity to Lincoln make it a risk.

 

[Sengir]

Didn't notice I was up. As I wrote in the Sengir01 thread, I'll be moving house, starting about a week (planning was that we moved the end of august, but apparently somebody didn't get that notice.). I don't think I'll manage to find time to play, so should probably be on autoskip untill at least halfway through august (or just drop me and find a replacement).

Sorry to do this on such a short notice, but until this morning I was pretty sure that I would get the keys on the 1st of september instead of 3th of august.

 

[sturick]

Excellent job picking up the pieces Sweet!
I've been away for a day or two but I am back in the swing now.

I will look at the save later on.
I don't think we need to be in a great hurry to find our next city as we need to recover the economy.
Whereever we settle should be a premium location in order to make the economy dip worth our while.

@Sweet: I worked a video store for quite a while and I never watched Clockwork Orange. I have always been intrigued by Kubrick but never bothered to watch any of his films.
I'll see what I can do to rectify that.

 

[Mighty Dwaarf]

If sengir is skippe dthen is me but I'm away until Sunday so will have to skip.

 

[Whosit]

Soooo, a double skip is right back to me, eh? As far as I know, Ojimijam is still MIA. If we don't hear from him soon, I think I will drop him from the roster. So if anyone out there is coveting a spot in this madhouse, keep an eye open.

I might just play a set this evening since it shouldn't be as monstrous as SAM-02 (if no one has any objections, that is).

 

[Sweetacshon]

Fine with me. Btw, don't be afraid to produce in the capital, as well as having scientists. Our tech rate is so low that there's not that much else to build, iirc.

There're heaps of good Kubrick movies. Apart from the one mentioned, I suggest The Shining and Full Metal Jacket to get you started.

 

[Whosit]

Team: At long last, Confucianism has spread to us, to our capital! Should we convert? I'm about half-way through my set, but I'm fine with waiting, in part 'cuz I'm rather tired tonight and not feeling the goofy as much as I'd like.

4 of the AI are Confucian. Our closest neighbor is Cathy and she is Muslim. Note, however, random personalities are on, so who knows. The extra happiness could be nice, though we could wait and spread it before we take that turn of anarchy.

Anyway, thoughts?

 

[sturick]

No hurry on converting to Confusion.
Best to see what religion will rise to the top before making any friends...or enemies
It seems like Confusion is the top dog but I would like to see the save before making that decision.

@Sweet: Silly me...I have seen the Shining and the first half of Full Metal Jacket(second half I didn't care for). I forgot that those were both Kubrick movies.
And I have seen Eyes Wide Shut...but that wasn't his best.

 

[Whosit]

The Return of Helio-Whosit

Inherited Turn 140, 500 BC

Alrighty, this is kind of going to be a lightning round for me, but I'll try not to make too many mistakes.

Sweet was building walls in anticipation of treachery for Catharine. However, recall that AI personalities are random, so she might be sweet as a bee. But walls are a good idea, regardless.

Not sure what the tech plan is. We're doing Aesthetics, but I figured we'd have wanted to get Calendar or something. Eh. Too bad I can't trade Alphabet for anything good. Caesar won't give me math for it, lousy fool.

I'm kind of wiped out right now, so I don't have my crazy hat on. Maybe I'll come back and rewrite this . . . .

Running scientists is a good idea. Let's all put on lab coats and spectacles and make a general nuisance of ourselves! Have we invented crowbars yet? Every scientist needs a crowbar.

OK, time for FOOD CALCULATIONS!!!! Because I'm silly and I want to work them out on "paper" instead of doin' 'em in my head.

And so the brilliant (ha ha, it's a pun!) Helio-Whosit commands his royal census takers to determine how many citizens our glorious cities may eventually support.

Randomania, our capital can produce a total of 36 units of food (assuming a lighthouse is built) if no other improvements are made. That can allow the city to work a total of 18 "tiles," whatever those are. Why would the city work my floor? Well, I guess the servants need to shine harder. The floor is hardly reflecting my glory! Anyway, the census-takers say that the city only has 17 tiles that could ever be worked, so they suggest that it would be unneccesary to build any farms, unless we do anything to reduce the levels of food production.

The equally glorious Heliohille. Ah, I bask in its radiance. This city can produce 30 units of food at current rates, allowing it to work 15 out of 20 tiles. Actually, 31 food will be available when the silk jungle is cut down. However, not all tiles are worth working, so we may or may not need to add more farms.

Choas. Looks like 30 units of food, as well. Probably enough to work all quality tiles.

Stochasticity. Built upon ruins, it was. 33 food. May need a farm or two.

Mmmm...toast. Mmm, toast. Ah, forget this census, I'm bored now. Off with their heads or whatever, let's end the turn.

-End Turn-

Turn 141, 485 BC

Where were all these axemen going. Exploring? Fogbusting? Well, I guess they'll do some of that. Still many lands to explore.

Little else of interest today.

-End Turn-

Turn 142, 470 BC

Barbarian village spotted to the east. Maybe we can sack and pillage it? Oh, yeah, whip those suckers in Stochasticity to get that monument done.

-End Turn-

Turn 143, 455 BC

Choas finishes it's monument, starts a workboat for the crabs. Stochasticity gets workin' on a Granary.

Whoops, the capital is angry! Hrrm, what to do? Dunno.
I hire a couple of Scientists in Heliohille to stagnate it, though, as it is at the happy limit. We really need some religion, ya' know? Anyway, the two scientists cut 12 turns off of our current research project. Now, isn't that sad?
Taking inspiration, I notice that Randomania is unhappy but still has a surpluss of 4 food and is growing. I notice our corn farm in the desert is producing 4 food. So I order the soldiers to slaughter the farmers. Then I hire my cousin Mez to play with an abacus in the Library for awhile.

We will now develop a sense of aesthetics in 17 turns. That sounds a lot better than 32!

-End Turn-

Turn 144, 440 BC

Those barbarians actually picked a pretty decent place to set up shop. Too bad we could never hold it against Cathy's cultural onslaught. The workers by Choas start rounding up the second batch of beavers.

-End Turn-

Turn 145, 425 BC

Randomania: Spearman < Lighthouse
Building culture would shave two more turns off, but I'd like to get this building in now so we don't have to wait for later. Oh, if I sent those scientists to the mines . . . but I guess we'd rather research faster than build a stone tower faster.

I just noticed that we have 3 creative leaders, two of which are our direct neighbors. Fun times.

-End Turn-

Turn 146, 410 BC

Gauge odds against Gepid with our axemen. Hmm, we can probably take it with 4. And I'm crazy enough to try! You can do it, men! Do you has!

-End Turn-

Turn 147, 395 BC

Heliohille: Walls < Axeman

Ah, glorious walls. Hmm, Suryavarman converts to this Confucianism I've been hearing about. There's quite a lot of them. Why don't we have any of this yet? Maybe it'lls spread. This Pericles guy seems to have started the whole fad, so I open borders with him.

OK, so those ugly barbarians with decent geographical senses.

Our toughest Axemen have a little over 60% odds. If they can't win, the other two can probably finish the job! When you gotta break an omlette, you have to make some eggs, after all. Ok, Axel earned his stripe. Or tripe.
And the Namless Wonder earns his name. Or does he?

Ah, the 3.19 options. View the city! Why didn't we think of this ages ago? Well, there's nothing there. Also, I have the option of giving it to Cathy. Hmmm . . . .Well. I like the location, personally. It's pretty far, and I doubt we could keep it. But! Give it to Cathy, make her happy . . . then take it from her cold, dead hands later! Mwahahahaaaa!!

Hrm, she's still only Cautious with us. Oh well. Oh, and I nabbed us a worker and 111 gold, as well. Fun times.

Tsk, it's clear that Sweet wasn't naming his units. The third worker at home will have to be Don. And there's a Von. And the newest addition, Deeble. Oh, those crazy barbarians and their silly names. Why can't they name their people sensible names, like Thicklespit over here?

-End Turn-

Turn 148, 380 BC

Ah, so the people of Randomannia returned to their senses. We don't beat them that badly. Eh, what's that? Those unhappy people went back to corn farming? Well, kill them and send the survivors to the mines! The mines, I say!
Toast grows to 2. I switch to a monument, will whip as soon as possible and put the overflow into the Granary that's being worked on.

So, having liberating Gepid from the awful barbarians, we go home, Mission Accomplished, leaving the city burning and undefended like true heroes.

You're welcome, Cathy.

-End Turn-

Turn 149, 365 BC

Hm, the monument would only yield 4 hammer overflow. Oh well. I really just want that monument now. Grizzly Adams investigates Egyptian lands, prowling through their forests. Beating up bears with his bare hands. Pun . . . not intended.

-End Turn-

Turn 150, 350 BC

The new age wave is here! Confucianism! Shall we convert? Erm, maybe not just yet. Cathy has a greenish look to her eye. We probably want to spread it some first, anyway.

It spread to our capital, in fact.

But we shall not convert, oh no, for we must see how things play out.

Buffalo wings are not buffalo!

-End Turn-

Turn 151, 335 BC

Herodotus explains that we are not terribly cultured. Open Borders with Ragnar. We now have open borders with everyone. I suppose I shall have to keep an eye open to see if any worst enemies develop.

Fairly yawny turn. I shall nap until something interesting happens.

Oh, how about a look at Thebes?

-End Turn-

Turn 152, 320 BC

Hmm, Suryavarman offers Math for Alphabet. I go ahead and take it because I don't think we have anything else on the table and Alphabet won't remain unclaimed for awhile.

Heliohille: Axeman < Research

I notice that Ragnar has Aesthetics already.

-End Turn-

Turn 155, 275 BC

Cathy got a Great Scientist, but we'll counter with one of our own next turn.

-End Turn-

Turn 156, 260 BC

Louey! So glad you could make it! Let's figure out where to put you.

I also make a couple of trades. Fur to Ragnar for Gems. Fur to Caesar for Incense. Soon we'll have our second corn hooked up for trade, so we can do something with that, too. So our happy limits have been raised by two, but we're still pretty scientist dependant for research.

Oh, and I just realized that I should have been researching at a loss because of the money we earned. Whoopsie.

Now, if you'll excuse me, my mail-order copy of nostalgia has just arrived in the form of the TIE Fighter Collector's CD, so I'm going to spend some quality time shooting down rebel scum.