The Void - Tick 504 Cycle 22

 BOOYAKASHA! The first part of the attack was a success.

In the end not only did the Explorer move (it had not moved in the previous 4 turns) but Tube-Pipe went up to Weapons 7, meaning when my smuggler landed on the deep-lying star it did so at ratios of Weapons 5 vs Weapons 12. However, the star was so lightly defended I only lost 264 ships meaning I broke through with 3.5K. What a breakthrough. And 2k more reinforcements are coming quietly from the north.

Now I have to really make this count because this is a one-off. 

What are my goals:

1. Establish a permanent bridgehead.

2. Ensure the second fleet can arrive safely.

3. Cause maximum chaos and disruption.

Okay so, I don't want any rapid counter-attacks with Siege breakers on my shiny new star. If he wants to take it he will need to broadcast that attack and give me possibilities to respond to it. I also don't want any counterattacks at Evian (my launch star.) this would be a risky play since they now don't see how I'm reinforcing it but either way let's not give that possibility. I can always rebuild.

What would be nice is if they all collectively drop the warp gates I can see. I can see 5 in total. Just because they'll then need to rebuild them. They will be worried I'm going to jump at them, but I plan to use the speed of the smuggler for more conventional attacks.

Kasha being a Nebula and Asteroid field makes it a nice star to hold and I do intend to hold it. A hostile Nebula in your backyard is a bloody nightmare and it will cause them no end of fretting until they re-take it, which I would have the choice of making them bleed for. By being sparing with the tokens I've invested in the attack I'm close to being able to buy a destroyer.

I also need to maintain initiative/chaos though. That means spreading to more stars.

The plan is to keep 1.5K on Kasha and send 1.8K north to capture the landing star for the reinforcements. I've checked distances and I think even with Major Tom's black hole they won't be able to see that Pathfinder next turn, so I don't need to take out the black hole (6-tick jump with a smuggler.) which is something I was considering. I'll then bounce to another star.

The hope here is to be cautious, wait for them to make another mistake and bring in reinforcements. They will need to move a lot of ships to deal with an active 3.5K threat behind their defensive and general lines so this should relieve pressure on HelloThere/TdT. With combat on the cards, I'm finishing a hyperspace level to allow me to reinforce without the use of pathfinders and then going to Weapons 7.

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Just a note, unfortunately, this adventurous pathfinder is NOT Pathfinder Jeronimo. I actually have three pathfinders operating now. Pathfinder Jeronimo was somehow up doing logi by my north border with Holy Roman Empire (I have no idea how that happened, last I checked it was out east) he is now racing south to join the forces across the breach though.

After buying economy here is how I sit. And yes, the missed turns were intentional. Every little helps.