EpsilonEta

Raven return from Guinevere and get a call from Narbilu. I have an infiltration mission for you. What do you know of the Dust Demons? It's the pirates that's been raiding our mines and transports since we got to Andromeda. Interrogation with the prisoner that Makoto brought in earlier suggest they arrived with the same colony ships used by the companies. They are primarily targeting Kawashita and have followed our expansion with several temporary bases. Look like you are as good as your reputation, reading every rapport are you?. Only the important ones, sir. What's the mission? As you have read we know how the Demons come in. It's not likely to be via our colony ships but security have been increased. They then rapport to the nearest base and get there gear and mission. We have falsified an ID of a new recruit based on the prisoners ID and need someone to pose as a Dust Demon and get information. Koro don't have the looks to pull it of and was sent for another mission. You are our best resource for this kind of job. I'm on it, sir. I'll speak to the prisoner about background details and what to expect as a rookie. When do I start? As soon as possible, they are getting more of a problem every day. When you're ready, go to the base at Lesser Direstan. It's the only one we know of that's not blown up. Understod. And remember, you will have no backup and no communication so you can only contact us if you hijack there communication or get back here. Just like every other infiltration mission I've ever done. Raven get ready and goes to Lesser Direstan where she's ordered to immediately travel to Sorn. Without showing any surprise Raven thinks “Sorn!? All official channels have said we would stay out of there as of the treaty with Mantis. How can the Demons know we are going to Sorn?” Ok, newbies. Get in the Wasp. Training will begin when we get to Sorn. Why is it called a wasp, because it have stripes? No, it's because of the “sting” it gout in the back. What? I don't see a gun or anything. It's a drop ship. The “sting” is the soldiers coming out of it. With some work even you maggots could get good enough to jump out of it. For now, get in and shut up! Hi, I'm Trevor Sarah. Raven and Trevor shake hand. Little more is said on the trip to Sorn. Arrival at Sorn by EpsilonEta, on Flickr This time the stand in planet was made by Random-Acts-Stock on deviantart. The stars are the same by PSD Graphics. So you are the wimps that think they can be Dust Demons. Lets see if I can get you in shape before Kawashita get there hands on every piece of awesomnium on this planet.

I first tryed to make the ship around the interior but it got to big (minifig scale is problematic) They might not know what they signed up for. Space pirate in another galaxy sounds a lot cooler than it is. And thanks everyone for likeng the build. I'm going to keep it and use it in another lego based sci-fi story.

They are probably MANTIS rejects

Thank you all The story will continue for a few week but then there shoulden't be any more problems with the Dust Demons The door are actually designed to open but I forgot to add that picture (I'll add it when I have time)

First, it look really good and “worn down”. Second, I'm pretty sure I know what it does but saying it might spoil the fun for other. Hey lets use the spoiler tag for actually hiding a spoiler!! I was a little surprised when Aera said it was probably not important. Even if it just generate energy from awesomnium and we can do the same it's still built by aliens (but then we have meet several aliens already) As fore the “possibly the largest breakthrough in the history of mankind...” you have to beat the super secret thing Raven found on Lesser Direstan. I will get back to that when there is less need for tactical builds.

Nice build Koro will take care of that if it get worse

*** Report log, A07 : Agent Raven *** My Report on the discovery on Lesser Direstan have been classified as top secret. Clearance level Omega required to access. I'm now on my way to Guinevere to investigate why our drones have stopped working as well as take care of whatever cased the problem. --- *** Report log, A06 : Agent Raven *** As I landed on Guinevere I could soon conclude the drones was in rest mode. There seems to have been some malfunction in the test drones. Send some technicians to have a look. Mission ended. --- *** Classified report, A06 : Agent Raven *** Security clearance level Delta required to access. Some extra pictures of the build.

Here is my entry for “Into the Wilds...” challenge. It's set on Traig IV with the description "Small mountainous islands separated by large areas of oceans." I don't have a story (won't lose out on any point, right?) It's just waves agenst a mountain. The idea was to make it a micro build but than I added the plants so now its probably around minifig size. Waves on Traig IV 1 by EpsilonEta, on Flickr The build is full of SNOT and tiny (half plate and quarter plate) offsets but would work in LDD. (except the elf hair, it's slightly forced but it's rubber)

What? If you mine in a volcano you have to expect a (totally natural) eruption. Also the treaty is not in effect yet (especially as the build would take place fairly soon after the droids go offline and before someone start blowing them up)

Ohh, so the creature is bending backwards in the challenge. (I thought it was cool with the eyes on the jaw)

Yes, I have one 30259 and one 41071 so not that much to work with. (it's still better than an empty cliff)

Those drones are everywhere. It was time for a Kawashita agent to finally have a look. I'm happy you all like it.

Nooo, keep working. It would be one less company to worry about (or a zombie apocalypse to really worry about) Nice lab as usual (is he painting brown bread to look like light bread? MANTIS not big on healty food?)

Nice trees. Even if AG is very soft sci-fi it doesn't hurt to be a little realistic sometimes. It also explain why the planet doesn't reward biomass. (It would probably work to process the organic molecules to make the amino acids and carbohydrates we need but it might not be wort the effort) Diet products, you Octans always find ways of making money

The different colors is because of lack of parts volcanic ash on the inside Glad to see you haven't gotten thru Omega level security yet

Thanks, it's kind of cool... Wait! How did an Octan get access to the classified report Must be a security breach

Thank you everyone. It took some time (and a little math) to make all the SNOT to work. Glad The resault was wort it. I might show some picture on the inside structure if there is any interest. Also, the new piece 20482 (which I don't have) would be great to make bushes of elf hairs.

Fantastic use of flames and the rocks are amazing!

Another Great build. Really like the story too. What is the piece(s) used for those cables in the arm (second time you are asked about a build technic ) From the beginning of your stories Koro have reminded me of an original character I made in a sci-fi universe over 10 years ago. “She” was a very advanced robot with brain and energy core salvaged from an ancient alien civilization. She even worked for a espionage organization and did precision strike missions. The funny thing is how much your last build resembles her most important mission. It's a very risky mission to steal vital information, She only do it because she is programed to obey them (something she doesn't like). In the end she succeeds but end up very damaged. (I should really finish writing those stories some time) Anyway, Raven is actually a human version of that robot but I haven't manage to portray Raven as bad-@ss as Koro.

Really like the “tiny” creatures. How those trees get any water is beyond me too. They don't seem to have any rots at all, basically just standing on the snow

No – I don't want all the build in the end. I understand there will instead be a lot of build just after deadline and after domination is awarded but I still think that's better. Rushed build will get lower score, for a good result you need to plan ahead. Also, if you do work your @ss of and still don't make it for the deadline you can post it early next week for almost the same effect. As I understand it, if company A get 20 domination on Monday, company B or aliens can still counter with 20 domination on Tuesday which means company A never had 30 points more than B and can't get domination or reward (unless they get another 30 on Wednesday). Yes – And this is interesting because you don't know how mush your build will score. To be sure to crush the companies domination you will have to “waste” points (as domination can't be negative) Yes – I like the supply chain idea. Maybe the home planets have connections with the milkyway galaxy. It is a way to hurt companies that build in a long line for fast domination. This won't be a problem later when the map is full. About personal items, how do you expect to dominate a planet with spying and piracy? It can hurt a present corporation or pave the way for your expansion (like MANTIS did on Guinevere) but you shouldn't be able to use it as a point off expansion. But I do think that players with the items should still be able to expand from the “island” and would then be vary valuable if someone cut a supply line as they could still fight at the front. All players can off course go home, no one will be trapped on a island. Think about it, if a company have lost control it mean another company got 30 more or an alien devastated the planet. Only people with items for stealth or speed can pass this planet.

Yes Maybe its just me. If the rest of you like this game than continue (or make it even more stict as the suggestion that started this) I'm going to do what I intended from the start, drop in a build sometime on the planet I coose and not care about any strategy. Hope the rest of you have fun.

I have been thinking. If we want a more friendly game where everyone can build in the speed they want (rather than racing for dominance) then I sugest a simpel rule change and a treaty. -Rule change: Reward on controll on the rare planets is nothing (it's only 750 biomass onec, what's the big deal?) -Treaty: All companies (basicaly Octan now) promises to not box in any rare planets. Then each company can reach two rare minerals whenever they are ready and we don't have to build like mainiacs just to not be left without some resources. The alternative is for MANTIS and Kawasita to ether fight over Guinevere or help each other against Octan.

And I believe this should be fun and not about strategi. I have invested a lot more time in AG than I intended just to analyse the best tactics. I would rather we just had fun the way the game was intended. I said this privat but it can be good for all to read “I checked the resources change this week and reward on contral is only given once. This means the entire gaming mechanics is made for making many builds (with high scores). If it wasen't for the rare planets and high reward planets being far away it woulden't mater where everyone built or how slow/fast they would get domination. Everyone could build where they wanted and it the speed they wanted. It's a nice setup for a GoH kind of play and as soon as we start to make “bourders” (or treatys) between the companies we can start to play that way. If we were to learn something for another time every compeny should have started closer to one of the rare planets. It woulden't have been the same mad race then.”

Scouting land and sea Kawashita orbital probes have discovered a strange energy reading on Lesser Direstan. Because the early investigation of the planet determined a lot of alien activity and the Dust Demon pirates previously encountered it was decided to send a special force agent rather than an exploration team. Raven use a small but fast hovercycel model MMRC-27 (Multi Mode Reconnaissance Craft). It probably have a cool nickname but Raven prefer to use the correct designation of things. She travel to Lesser Direstan (in a larger ship), approaching the planet with the hovercycel and make a fast dive from orbit into one of the planets oceans. The “landing” looks more like an meteor impact so it won't attract attention . The RC-27 have a water mode. It conserves fuel and don't give off much energy to track. scouting - water by EpsilonEta, on Flickr As she approach land she start the hover mode and keep low to avoid any scanners the potential enemy might have. scouting - land by EpsilonEta, on Flickr Next week I'll show what she finds.