Thargoid invasion - Next target systems?
- Thread starter Aleks Zuno
- Start date
Firstly, welcome! I am unsure how well we will be able to use that Counterstrike boost at M. Thor, for at present the first large rescue push this week is showing heavy progress at M. Raijin, although it may be as well to deliver those anyway so you can start afresh. If we do decide to take an M. Thor system this week, it will be for you!
By progress I can only recommend M. Raijin at the moment. I have a tactical interest at M. Leigong if Commanders can complete 13060 rescues there, but it is a lot to ask and I do not expect it for a while!
If anyone is stockpiling anything (samples, pods, people, pod-people...) maybe hold onto them until after the update since there may be some new system states/corrections to the map introduced, and it would be a shame for any potential progress to be wasted.
Victories in Col 285 Sectors SH-B b14-3, PM-B b14-3 and KW-M c7-31, Pegasi Sectors PI-S b4-6, GW-W d1-112 and NN-S b4-4, Chinas (well done!) and HIP 117229! The first Matrix system at M. Raijin has recovered its previous position from last week, and needs another 732 rescues.
Alerts at 06:50 13th October 3309:
Ebisu Alert 28% *29.4% — Taranis 21 Ly, 358 Ls starport, 63 Ls outpost, 1798 Ls planet
Nu Guang Alert 26% *27.5% — Raijin 19 Ly, 44 Ls starport, 1040 Ls outpost, 44 Ls planet
Pathamon Alert 20% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport
Clean-up:
Five Counterstrikes at M. Raijin over 120–1100 rescues
Pegasi Sector NN-S b4-3 Matrix 76% — Raijin 24 Ly, empty, 732 rescues
HIP 21386 Alert 58% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector RM-B b14-8 Alert 56% — Hadad 21 Ly, empty
I can believe it for the Matrix systems, but to use my stored progress as an example, do you imagine an early completion of Col 285 Sector PM-B b14-0 could be reversed after the update? It is a simple empty Control system with no Matrix nor Counterstrike, and I was hoping not to withhold it for that long!
Alerts at 06:50 13th October 3309:
Ebisu Alert 28% *29.4% — Taranis 21 Ly, 358 Ls starport, 63 Ls outpost, 1798 Ls planet
Nu Guang Alert 26% *27.5% — Raijin 19 Ly, 44 Ls starport, 1040 Ls outpost, 44 Ls planet
Pathamon Alert 20% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport
Clean-up:
Five Counterstrikes at M. Raijin over 120–1100 rescues
Pegasi Sector NN-S b4-3 Matrix 76% — Raijin 24 Ly, empty, 732 rescues
HIP 21386 Alert 58% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector RM-B b14-8 Alert 56% — Hadad 21 Ly, empty
I can believe it for the Matrix systems, but to use my stored progress as an example, do you imagine an early completion of Col 285 Sector PM-B b14-0 could be reversed after the update? It is a simple empty Control system with no Matrix nor Counterstrike, and I was hoping not to withhold it for that long!
There is always the potential of a Thargoid counterpush at some point, seeing as they’ve kind of just left us be while reclaiming our territory.
Whether that happens with U17 or the barnacle matrix sites serve a different purpose remains to be seen.
I'd also have thought you would be safe with completing any controls before the update, just as we should be fine with any Alerts cleared, but I'm going to keep the pods for Taranis I've collected till after Monday.
After U17 and hoping that pods will give the same progress to counterstrike systems and matrix sites than today, would it make sense to concentrate the pod rescues on one mealstrom with the goal to recapture all systems near that titan?
It might largely depend on where the closest matrix site is to a Titan - if you take Oya and Hadad, they both have one at around 5 ly from the Titan, and if that 5 to 1 ratio for pods to tissue samples holds up, that would be around, probably more, than 500,000 pods needing to be recovered and handed in. In other words, a minimum of (and probably more than, as they won’t be stripped to fit that much cargo) 25 fleet carriers. Even with sampling working, it’s an endeavor that’s not particularly worth the effort.
If it is to become feasible, there would need to be a way to ‘weaken’ Thargoid defenses beforehand at those very close systems. Both for matrix and non-matrix systems. Something that I don’t see happening too soon. And it’s probably simpler to just hold the front at a level where it is ‘easy’ to keep locked down.
There is one Maelstrom that’s viable - Leigong. Its closest matrix is just under 15Ly and it’s closest normal system over 9Ly, meaning with a significant but plausible amount of effort it could be destroyed.
Even just the next rescue wave at M. Leigong, technically being the second wave after the mini-wave last week, would help a lot towards crushing it! If enacted, the plan remains like this:
Preface that with due caution and awaiting update 17, of course. Some possible outcomes are:
Preface that with due caution and awaiting update 17, of course. Some possible outcomes are:
- Matrix systems become impervious again, but still with the Control state and still able to attack, and we return to thinking in terms of holding a perimeter.
- A new state is introduced for Matrix systems, perhaps without possible completion and without attacking, which will be demonstrated this week if Arietis Sector MX-U c2-19 attacks JM-W d1-56. With no attack, we just proceed to remove M. Leigong.
- A new means is introduced to complete Matrix systems individually, likely on-foot. I request as respectfully and gratefully as I can that kind Commanders consider the M. Leigong sites, starting with Hyades Sector KN-K b8-3, while INIV helps with general removal.
- Nothing which affects war systems that way. The only viable plan remains a second wave with 13060 rescues to get us past that first Matrix, traditional removal to get us past HIP 8887, then a third wave¹ with over 20000 rescues to complete the sneaky HIP 9180 hiding behind the Maelstrom. There is also a weaker Matrix system close to it which should complete together, and hopefully any others can be exposed to Counterstrike without requiring a fourth wave.
Victories in Pegasi Sectors RE-N a8-0, ZQ-J a10-1, DG-X c1-6, ZQ-J a10-0 and UK-L a9-1, and Col 285 Sectors RM-B b14-8, TS-H b11-0 and XT-Q c5-1!
Something is wrong with Pegasi Sector NN-S b4-3. It ended at 66% last week, dropped to 32% as expected, rose to 76% earlier this week, stopped moving, and shows now 0%. Awaiting a bit of corroboration here, it looks very, very much as if Frontier owes some explanation.
Alerts at 07:50 14th October 3309:
Ebisu Alert 84% *84.3% — Taranis 21 Ly, 358 Ls starport, 63 Ls outpost, 1798 Ls planet
Nu Guang Alert 52% *52.7% — Raijin 19 Ly, 44 Ls starport, 1040 Ls outpost, 44 Ls planet
Pathamon Alert 36% *36.4% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport
HIP 19157 Alert 20% *20.3% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost
Gliese 9035 Alert 20% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
Clean-up:
Pegasi Sector KH-V c2-20 Control 98% — Raijin 22 Ly, empty, 17 strength
Pegasi Sector UK-L a9-3 Control 96% — Raijin 22 Ly, empty, 34 strength
Cephei Sector AF-A c21 Alert 90% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
HIP 21386 Alert 70% *71% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector YT-F b12-6 Alert 58% — Cocijo 20 Ly, empty
55 Tauri Alert 40% — Indra 23 Ly, empty
Something is wrong with Pegasi Sector NN-S b4-3. It ended at 66% last week, dropped to 32% as expected, rose to 76% earlier this week, stopped moving, and shows now 0%. Awaiting a bit of corroboration here, it looks very, very much as if Frontier owes some explanation.
Alerts at 07:50 14th October 3309:
Ebisu Alert 84% *84.3% — Taranis 21 Ly, 358 Ls starport, 63 Ls outpost, 1798 Ls planet
Nu Guang Alert 52% *52.7% — Raijin 19 Ly, 44 Ls starport, 1040 Ls outpost, 44 Ls planet
Pathamon Alert 36% *36.4% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport
HIP 19157 Alert 20% *20.3% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost
Gliese 9035 Alert 20% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
Clean-up:
Pegasi Sector KH-V c2-20 Control 98% — Raijin 22 Ly, empty, 17 strength
Pegasi Sector UK-L a9-3 Control 96% — Raijin 22 Ly, empty, 34 strength
Cephei Sector AF-A c21 Alert 90% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
HIP 21386 Alert 70% *71% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector YT-F b12-6 Alert 58% — Cocijo 20 Ly, empty
55 Tauri Alert 40% — Indra 23 Ly, empty
Aleksandra is quite right, it's not just INTRA going crazy and saying 76%!
They messed up, should've saved the technical debt and made a new Plot Armour state for U16.
DCOH with relative time-
GalMap with the same absolute time-
They messed up, should've saved the technical debt and made a new Plot Armour state for U16.
DCOH with relative time-
GalMap with the same absolute time-
Not all, these were OK this morning and are completed now (+ e.g. Modigi is still going)-
There is something off though, e.g. Pegasi Sector VK-L a9-0 shows the counterstrike glow but has had 0% from the start this cycle...
Looking at how only inhab systems get the purple icon, I reckon they've literally noticed just now that unpop systems have also been flagged for counterstrike all this time (good because they need CZs but still an oversight now).
Wish they'd just come clean
"We fumbled and need to change it" -OK
"These are the plot armour systems" -OK
Frantic stop/start of ticks, manual progress changes and tech debt bodges to stem the leak without a word -
There is something off though, e.g. Pegasi Sector VK-L a9-0 shows the counterstrike glow but has had 0% from the start this cycle...
Looking at how only inhab systems get the purple icon, I reckon they've literally noticed just now that unpop systems have also been flagged for counterstrike all this time (good because they need CZs but still an oversight now).
Wish they'd just come clean
"We fumbled and need to change it" -OK
"These are the plot armour systems" -OK
Frantic stop/start of ticks, manual progress changes and tech debt bodges to stem the leak without a word -
Did they leave the already cleared matrix sites alone or not? I’m honestly not really sure which part of their functionality really requires the Thargoid control state anyway, seeing how they’re seemingly behaving all the same without it.
And yeah, they really should just rename/change it to something else. Like, ‘Thargoid Stronghold’ and remove the progress bar for now. Yes, not very imaginative, but it serves a better point of conveying that they’re something very different to the regular control state, but not quite as ‘strong’ as a Titan(presumably).
And yeah, they really should just rename/change it to something else. Like, ‘Thargoid Stronghold’ and remove the progress bar for now. Yes, not very imaginative, but it serves a better point of conveying that they’re something very different to the regular control state, but not quite as ‘strong’ as a Titan(presumably).
Victories in HIP 21386, Pegasi Sectors KH-V c2-20 and UK-L a9-3, Ebisu, Cephei Sector AF-A c21, Col 285 Sectors YT-F b12-6, NG-E b12-3, NG-E b12-4, PM-B b14-0, ZE-P c6-10 and ZT-F b12-8, and Nu Guang! The upcoming Alerts include Gliese 9035, making an Invasion there for SNPX quite unlikely, although such at Njorog is likely instead.
Despite somehow not helping a few non-Matrix Counterstrike systems, rescues at M. Taranis have helped Modigi a good amount. It cannot attack anything and would exist only to be attacked again unless followed with further clean-up later; regardless, would those running rescues like it recaptured?
Meanwhile, note that M. Cocijo is emerging as the next natural target for using rescues to secure a lot of empty systems—update 17 permitting, of course!
Alerts at 07:50 15th October 3309:
Pathamon Alert 68% *68.2% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport, 194 Ls outpost, 194 Ls planet
Gliese 9035 Alert 42% *44.1% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
HIP 19157 Alert 34% *34.6% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost
Evictions:
Modigi Control 26% *27% — Taranis 18 Ly, 6568 strength
Pegasi Sector GW-W d1-115 Control 24% — Raijin 23 Ly, 2243 strength
Iduni Control 22% *22.9% — Raijin 22 Ly, 2598 strength
Clean-up:
Cephei Sector AF-A c22 Alert 76% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
55 Tauri Alert 62% *62.4% — Indra 23 Ly, empty
HIP 19600 Alert 46% — Thor 20 Ly, empty
Seven Counterstrike systems — Cocijo, 2130 to 5345 rescues
The cleared Matrix systems are still clear for the moment, although my expectation—and indeed suggestion, over two months ago—is indeed that all such systems are changed to bear a new non-Control state which may be immovable as with a Titan system. Clearly those nine last week were not supposed to happen, and if having them all is so important then at this point I would just want to change all of them, cleared or not.
Revisiting this a bit, I said I can believe it for Matrix systems, but I did not expect anything to occur prior to update 17. Given the precedent that the completions in week 45 were allowed to stand:
Despite somehow not helping a few non-Matrix Counterstrike systems, rescues at M. Taranis have helped Modigi a good amount. It cannot attack anything and would exist only to be attacked again unless followed with further clean-up later; regardless, would those running rescues like it recaptured?
Meanwhile, note that M. Cocijo is emerging as the next natural target for using rescues to secure a lot of empty systems—update 17 permitting, of course!
Alerts at 07:50 15th October 3309:
Pathamon Alert 68% *68.2% — Leigong 22 Ly, 105 Ls starport, 194 Ls outpost, 194 Ls planet
Gliese 9035 Alert 42% *44.1% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
HIP 19157 Alert 34% *34.6% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost
Evictions:
Modigi Control 26% *27% — Taranis 18 Ly, 6568 strength
Pegasi Sector GW-W d1-115 Control 24% — Raijin 23 Ly, 2243 strength
Iduni Control 22% *22.9% — Raijin 22 Ly, 2598 strength
Clean-up:
Cephei Sector AF-A c22 Alert 76% — Oya 21 Ly, empty
55 Tauri Alert 62% *62.4% — Indra 23 Ly, empty
HIP 19600 Alert 46% — Thor 20 Ly, empty
Seven Counterstrike systems — Cocijo, 2130 to 5345 rescues
The cleared Matrix systems are still clear for the moment, although my expectation—and indeed suggestion, over two months ago—is indeed that all such systems are changed to bear a new non-Control state which may be immovable as with a Titan system. Clearly those nine last week were not supposed to happen, and if having them all is so important then at this point I would just want to change all of them, cleared or not.
Revisiting this a bit, I said I can believe it for Matrix systems, but I did not expect anything to occur prior to update 17. Given the precedent that the completions in week 45 were allowed to stand:
- Did you suspect such corrections prior to the update?
- Was there something specific which caused that suspicion, or was it just a reasonable estimation despite week 45?
With some luck, there will be a change to the matrix locations(in the galaxy map UI), seeing as the update focuses on the barnacle matrix sites. It might also revert the cleared ones as whatever the story intends to happen there, does.
Will it happen that way? Not going to be hopeful, but whatever they’re for might not require a Thargoid presence. We’ll just have to see how surrounding space is affected.
Victories in Cephei Sector AF-A c22, Arietis Sectors JR-V b2-1, WJ-R b4-3 and XJ-R b4-2, Col 285 Sector RH-B b14-0, Pathamon, HIPs 19600 and 21008, 55 Tauri and Hyades Sector FB-N b7-3! Three more inhabited Alert systems ought to be possible numerically, minding update 17 and associated activities, such as trying the new things and ensuring the existing things still behave.
Rescues at M. Cocijo are approaching the amount needed for the first of its Counterstrike systems to reach completion! Six lie in the 500–1500 range, and if individual system completion still functions as before then I am quite sure we can end the seventh, along with a few of the weaker inhabited systems at M. Raijin.
Alerts at 06:30 16th October 3309:
HIP 19157 Alert 96% *96.3% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost, 217 Ls planet
Gliese 9035 Alert 72% *73.2% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
If everything works well enough after the update:
HIP 116360 Alert 10% — Raijin 21 Ly, 649 Ls outpost, 462 Ls planet
Evictions:
Modigi Control 32% — Taranis 18 Ly, 6126 strength
Pegasi Sector GW-W d1-115 Control 30% — Raijin 23 Ly, 2066 strength
Iduni Control 28% — Raijin 22 Ly, 2428 strength
Clean-up:
Seven Counterstrike systems — Cocijo, 500 to 3610 rescues
Col 285 Sector SH-B b14-5 Alert 34% *34.9% — Hadad 20 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector SH-B b14-2 Alert 20% *21.2% — Hadad 18 Ly, empty
Rescues at M. Cocijo are approaching the amount needed for the first of its Counterstrike systems to reach completion! Six lie in the 500–1500 range, and if individual system completion still functions as before then I am quite sure we can end the seventh, along with a few of the weaker inhabited systems at M. Raijin.
Alerts at 06:30 16th October 3309:
HIP 19157 Alert 96% *96.3% — Indra 22 Ly, 705 Ls starport, 1277 Ls outpost, 217 Ls planet
Gliese 9035 Alert 72% *73.2% — Oya 20 Ly, 556 Ls planet, Invasion requested
If everything works well enough after the update:
HIP 116360 Alert 10% — Raijin 21 Ly, 649 Ls outpost, 462 Ls planet
Evictions:
Modigi Control 32% — Taranis 18 Ly, 6126 strength
Pegasi Sector GW-W d1-115 Control 30% — Raijin 23 Ly, 2066 strength
Iduni Control 28% — Raijin 22 Ly, 2428 strength
Clean-up:
Seven Counterstrike systems — Cocijo, 500 to 3610 rescues
Col 285 Sector SH-B b14-5 Alert 34% *34.9% — Hadad 20 Ly, empty
Col 285 Sector SH-B b14-2 Alert 20% *21.2% — Hadad 18 Ly, empty
Good news, the update did introduce a change to the war UI for matrix locations(and ‘recaptured’ ones appear to have been moved back to a control state). If the game behaves and doesn’t have the servers kick me out for not doing anything… I’ll grab a screenshot. Light-ish spoilers, so view at your own peril if you want to check things yourself.
I... have doubts about what that UI actually means. The barnacle matrix/spire sites have already had their discoveries permanently engraved in the codex (U16) so I don't think they are going anywhere.
By contrast, the titans are nowhere to be found in the codex. So no dangling links left behind if they were to all disappear.