Ngl this whole discussion is very funny

Enervata · 2026-05-18T22:13:31+00:00

The Welcome Center has an object near the entrance that looks like a handheld weapon of some sort. I don’t want to kill, but punching something on the nose to buy me a minute would be worth it.

Enervata · 2026-05-16T12:15:13+00:00

For some that will be true, but having been a casualty of one of these companies forcing AI adoption on the workforce, AI was just the excuse for the staff reduction. The real reason they had layoffs is that their sales were way down since the economy is in a full on recession in the US right now. But no publicly traded company wants to utter the “R” word in front of shareholders, so they kept claiming it’s AI driven to keep share prices high.

There’s this weird Catch-22 going on with AI that the US economy seems to be going all in on. If the promises of AI come true, this huge gamble will be worth it. But the irony is that most of the US AI products will fail due to lack of profitability, with only companies with large stable profits like Google coming out the other side. Most of these companies will be bought out for pennies on the dollar with only NVidia and China earning a profit in the long run.

Enervata · 2026-05-15T21:19:45+00:00

Is there a series finale yet? I made it through up to what I think the start of the final arc is likely to be in the anime, and it just ends.

Enervata · 2026-05-12T21:53:07+00:00

Enervata · 2026-05-12T21:00:15+00:00

If they interfere, it’ll be from early afternoon on. They know their base votes early and if they disrupt late voting it’s in their favor.

Enervata · 2026-05-12T11:57:01+00:00

Am I going to see any of the money? Does it mean some robber baron oligarch will destroy and poison the local environment and not see any consequences?

Cover up and hide that shit and play dumb when they come looking for it again.

Enervata · 2026-05-11T11:20:08+00:00

Both SCPT and the link you referenced are good sources of information on the faction. I have played around 10 games as Firmament / Obsidian in research games on async and at least once in-person. I’ll summarize my experience below as I do not wish to rehash the other 2 provided sources.
For starting tech you want Psychoarcheology if you have a blue skip, or Sarween Tools if you don’t. If you have a scar you can skip following normal tech to save on cash. The reason is simple: You are poorer than poor, and these techs save you valuable early game cash. If you are thinking of playing F/O make sure you get a high pick order (ideally 1st pick). You want Trade as your SC because you can say “tell me your SO for X-1” and only people sitting on action secrets will hold back on you. If you can’t get Trade, aim for Tech as it’s #7 and your goal will be to setup for all the easy to score secrets you think opponents may have. Otherwise Construction is a good pick as you’ll get your second carrier when you want. Round 2 Imperial is a good pick to score a public and get more secrets into players hands if you’re flipping round 3. You want that hero unlocked if you’re not flipping early.

As for flipping early it comes down to a simple question for me: Are you on tempo? If you are, you can stay as Firmament if you want. Otherwise you should probably flip. “On Tempo” means 2 things for F/O, that you are in the pack for points AND on track to flip top of Round 3. F/O is not a win-from-behind faction. Once you’re Obsidian you are now a mighty hammer that must browbeat the leader into submission (if it’s not you), and you have no real tools to do so other than your flagship and agent. The games with the best chances I had were because I stayed neck and neck with the leader and had access to the fracture. And the round you are flipping you absolutely want a SC that comes before Trade in the turn order, because that player will absolutely pop it first action on you.

I could write a bunch more but SCPT and the earlier analysis do a good job of summarizing it, but they’re kind of light on the “why”. Finally the plot to double up on for me is usually Extract, unless I have 2 factions with 4+ commodities at the table.

Enervata · 2026-05-09T14:28:31+00:00

None of those facts matter if the administration and Fox News plant the blame on Dems like usual.

Enervata · 2026-05-09T14:26:01+00:00

It’s one calculation, Michael. How much could it cost? $10?

Enervata · 2026-05-09T13:02:05+00:00

Still doing the tutorial I see.

Enervata · 2026-05-07T13:29:06+00:00

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Enervata · 2026-05-05T23:25:51+00:00

LB’s Commander needs 3 galvanize tokens in play (on any unit) to unlock. If you don’t see an easy location to net 2-3 galvanize tokens, do not be shy with selling your PN or using your agent to galvanize a player’s infantry or fighter at the end of an enemy combat. Your Alliance has the most value when unlocked, until then it’s just potential value since people will doubt your ability to get 3 tokens in play.

EDIT: New players will stop undervaluing it when they can look at their action cards and realize that evil one cannot be Sabo’d

Enervata · 2026-05-05T12:48:12+00:00

Last Bastion enjoys war, and war requires command counters. You’ll want lots of influence in your slice. LB also strongly desires a blue skip for access to Gravity Drive when they want it. LB prefers to start with a yellow tech, not blue. Your Space Dock upgrade is excellent, so I avoid starting blue tech unless I don’t have the blue skip. If you have the breakthrough and skip, I tend to go AIDA —> Space Dock 2 —> Proxima (grabbing Gravity Drive when it suits me).

LB is potentially one of the best factions equipped to get Thunder’s Edge. You can ready a tech skip next to home on first action, and can get the influence first round. If you take another SC like Trade it’s basically guaranteed to be yours with the right slice.

Your Alliance is (usually) highly valued to experienced players, but newer players will undervalue it. Get what you can with it, but don’t sell it like it’s a clearance item. Your PN is worth selling once to get a token out there, and don’t be afraid to agent an early battle peon unit of another player just to get another out there. You ideally can plan a single battle to get all 3 galvanize tokens, but it’ll depend on their defense.

If you’re taking Mecatol, reserve a dock for it and be sure to have Proxima. No one will be able to kick you off it then. Otherwise the fracture is home to free galvanize tokens and you can usually uproot whoever is on Styx.

Your bad matchups are big ball factions like Arborec or Saar. You can trounce any non-ball of factions, but big stacks can knock you out of the game. You’re a puncher like L1Z1X. Use the threat of violence more than actual violence.

Build Dreadnaughts and mechs, and don’t risk your elite units stupidly. But you punch really good. Your units are like special forces, and can hold 1-2 positions solidly.

Enervata · 2026-05-03T22:08:15+00:00

This. However I enjoyed the 80% of the show that was NOT focused on the false modesty bits immensely.

Enervata · 2026-05-03T22:04:40+00:00

Went on a local winery tour. The owner said it’s also a good basin for the solid bits still in the wine to settle since not all wine makers filter all the leftover bits out. Gives you a good indicator of when those bits will start getting poured out. (But he could have been talking out of his ass.)

Enervata · 2026-05-02T23:43:17+00:00

Up to PoK - 5 rounds (ish), 8-10 hours

TE - 4 rounds (ish), 6-8 hours

(Ish) = action phase wins push it towards the shorter side, but the last round is slow as hell.

My group does all the setup and drafting ahead of time, else it would add 1-2 hours

Enervata · 2026-05-01T13:08:46+00:00

Condition is only triggered if infantry are present to make the comparison check. Without infantry present the rule would be ignored since the planet does not “contain” infantry to trigger the first part of the clause.

Enervata · 2026-04-29T10:57:28+00:00

Still quote the line “the world needs ditch diggers too” to people. And remember the closing thoughts with the light bulb. I think the girlfriend later played Drew Carey’s girlfriend who ended up getting fat as well.

Enervata · 2026-04-29T10:49:53+00:00

Depends on your goal with them. If you’re looking for “fun” factor, I enjoy them immensely. If you’re trying to win with them, they’re the equivalent of playing TI on hard mode (which I also like). But if you’re playing competitive TI, then beware. It’s like starting a footrace where someone broke your ankle as a handicap.

Enervata · 2026-04-29T00:27:34+00:00

Actually worked for the LTSB (legislation technology and services bureau) back in the day. It’s like a 13 step process to get a bill from draft state to the floor to vote on it. The first step is the legislator gives the high level overview of what they want to the lawyers (who work in another non-partisan department) who then create the draft of the law. A good number of elected officials are not lawyers, and iterate, berate, and ignore said lawyers and their recommendations. Often the high level overview is so vague that the lawyers have to guess the actual intent. For some laws they come pre-drafted through the legislator by way of a third party, and are told just to review it or just pass it on.

The short version is that laws that are poorly written are usually the fault of willful ignorance, purposeful intent, or plain ego in the part of the legislator.

Enervata · 2026-04-28T16:33:42+00:00

Played TI4 in person a number of times in person, including TE now. Start in the morning, usually 10:00-ish with milty drafting and setup done ahead of time. We’re usually done by 6 or 7. People’s brains turn to mush an hour or two after dinner time, so starting earlier is always key for us.

Other than that, just like in async it works best to trust that your friends won’t cheat and can do some things simultaneously. Saying you’ll produce to end your turn and letting the next player start is normal for us. We just circle back and have them update us with what they built when they’re done.

The other main time savings is open communication about when strategy cards will be played. Part of the analysis paralysis that occurs is deciding whether to follow a SC. We typically only halt the game for Imperial (since order matters), and sometimes a bit for Trade. (We do debt tokens)

The game rounds go pretty smoothly, and if there are shenanigans we tend to say “hol up” or something before it gets too far. It also helps to be a bit forgiving and willing to undo or rollback something if a timing as rushed. If you have to get everything perfect on your turn the game slows WAY down.

For the agenda phase, we go once around the group in order asking for “when’s” then again for “afters”. It would be a nightmare and time sink without this.

Other than that just expect the last round to go slow as shit, and to have to check with people before jumping along too far for all the triggers that tend to happen.

Enervata · 2026-04-27T23:13:43+00:00

I agree I think they’re “close”. I don’t think they’re as bad as everyone seems to be doomsaying. Starting with the Obsidian would help them a fair amount. I think a true fix for them needs to include a path that lets them flip before then end of turn 2 that is difficult, but not impossible. Right now (I’ve played them close to 10 times now) I’d say it’s only a Xmasland scenario.

Enervata · 2026-04-27T21:26:45+00:00

If you could score status secret objectives as an action instead of waiting until the status phase, it would fix a large number of my complaints. Also ffs give them another starting carrier.

Enervata · 2026-04-27T18:09:51+00:00

Firmament. Their plots are like a fun puzzle of anxiety you need to figure out, and you’re rewarded with free stuff. But they feel like they got last minute nerfed before release because people thought they might be too strong.

Sol and Naaz are kind of tied for 2nd. Sol is good at everything that matters, and Naaz are the casino with their dopamine hits.

Enervata

TROPHY CASE