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[RAM]

 A surface species would be desirable for the rapid assimilation of this planet's entire volume into our operations, but such an effort can only take place once detection is no longer an issue. Even with that it would still likely take many orders of magnitude of cycles for the effort to conclude. The development of a surface strain would likely represent an insignificant effort compared to the propagation, rendering the advanced development of such a strain meaningless.
 Surface operations are more easily detectable than subsurface operations. The majority of the development required prior to our emergence is in the development of new strains. To this end we require increments to our rate of adaptation as our highest priority. Adaptation requires more technical advancement than numerical advancement, and would benefit from centralised efforts. These efforts could potentially be separated, perhaps by function, so as to have, perhaps, one hive developing adaptations for rapid expansion, another developing for resource acquisition, another developing conflict features, and another crafting adaptations for extraplanetary functioning. Decentralising our efforts to a much greater degree than that would lead to redundancy and incompatibilities. All of this could be conducted in a relatively small volume that would be of exceedingly limited visibility.
 The local species seem to be of limited development capacity. Some passive monitoring would be appropriate to detect alterations in this pattern, but for now, all predictions indicate that, provided that we are not detected, delaying conflict is entirely to our advantage.
 It seems that the ideal approach is a six-phased development. The first phase will be to secure our immediate conditions. This requires the securing of sustenance, shelter, and the capacity for future development. The second phase is to expand our capacity for development, likely by producing many more queens. The third phase would be to develop the strains that we will require for the future stages. Stealth is the most important aspect for the first three phases. The fourth phase will be rapid expansion of our presence. The fourth phase will require a measure of stealth, as detection will trigger the fifth phase, but the fourth phase can continue during the fifth, and must be able to out-pace obstacles and prepare us for massive future mobilisations. So the priority for the fourth phase is haste. The fifth phase occurs when we are detected, and is the securing of this planet. The fifth phase will require the means to inhibit external interference and to rapidly dismantle planetary opposition. The sixth phase will involve the establishing of our extraplanetary presence. We must inhibit contact with opposing forces, rapidly improve our extraplanetary operations, ensure that we will survive calamity, likely by distributing ourselves to remote locations, and dismantle any opposition within our domain.

P.S.
 Last time we were guaranteed loyalty for the first two queens, but after that we risked interhive conflict. What that would involve was not tested, but would, presumably, range from failure to operate according to our specifications to hives destroying other hives. As to the effects that this would have on the hivemind(us) is unknown, but potentially the consciousness would transfer to the survivors of such an event.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

1) Quite a long time. Only minority of our numbers will be in outer space... If we'll go nomadic spaceships only race that need no planets than there are no need for planet based flowers at all as we should raise them in space
Uber allies are very unlickely to appear and if they do we have no chances
As for war with Earth, it's unavoidable, but who said that we'll fight it worse it if we'll keep industry base on Mars instead of abandoning it?
Also, I am sure that both biped's ability and willingness to do large scale orbital bombardment is overestimated

2) Our chances to get discovered will not be hard forever whatever we do.

3) Have you missed a part about pirates? Mars is a frontier territory here. Population is armed and military  outposts to be expected
 
4) By putting industry deep you'll not stop the heat , any scientific satellite should be able to notice that strange +0.01 temperature increase over large area... Yes heat-sinks and other  measures can reduce our visibility but not eliminate... Plus seismic activity

5) We have two biped's mining facilities nearby.

6) I doubt that "a lot" claim. We have no info about the speed of biped's growth. They'll build spaceports, military bases, more satellites, supply depots, industries, scientific installations (including ones to analyze Martian geology)
Also we know nothing about interest of stronger civilizations in that area.


My point is that we will be discovered sooner or later, that's simply unavoidable. We may delay that by severely limiting our growth options or we may get more resources by limited war, doing it carefully of cause.
Having deep bases is something I want, but putting all our hope on that is limiting our option... Hoping that they'll never get discovered is just naive


Sat killer is a good stuff, but it should wait until next upgrades of Nav drone. I'd prefer to get it to the 5th level (programming upgrade+vehicle specialization upgrade+pollen fuel understanding upgrade) , only than mate it, meanwhile our first mate and second queen should be flower oriented ones to get much more royal jelly, the most essential resource for our caste. Third queen to be created from the upgraded tech  drone, because we need really smart queen for the role of main tech specialist, because having smart 4th and beyond queens is not without a risk

Btw, we are going to far into a long term strategy. Any suggestion for that turn?

[10ebbor10]

Well yes, same things as last turn.

-Chemical separator and replicator for Kai proteins and chemicals
-Mutation generating stuff
-Dna scanner and cloning installation.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Mutagens are interesting... putting  unimportant eggs\drones in it, especially with some jelly added can give some pleasant surprises even if high mortality rates are very expected

BTW, who suggested to lay 20 scout eggs few turns back? That's a huge waste of eggs, especially if we'll sit in the hole doing nothing like majority wants to do. 23 light aviation units can win some battles (still prefer attacks from below), but for underground only route they are useful only as a experiment material

[Morrigi]

Is there a post somewhere detailing what the Kai look like?

[10ebbor10]

[If you want to know the general appearance I have in mind, imagine this crab and this wasp combined. Fair warning that you really might not want to imagine that, of course... The Queen is different in the sense of her looking like this wasp, at least with the leg spikes.

They're almost cute in a horrifying sort of way.]

[Ross Vernal]

-Chemical separator and replicator for Kai proteins and chemicals

We already have that, it's called a Nurse. Unless, of course, you are specifically referring to a machine that generates the dangerous chemicals.

[10ebbor10]

-Chemical separator and replicator for Kai proteins and chemicals

We already have that, it's called a Nurse. Unless, of course, you are specifically referring to a machine that generates the dangerous chemicals.

Dangerous, slightly modified, and also other things. Basically, this thing is what we need if we want to find out what happens if you drug a larvae on Kai growth hormone.

[Ross Vernal]

As for hitting out technological limits, I am not certain what that means, but there are several ambiguities. It may refer to the limits of the body path, and bear in mind that we seem to have general material synthesis, which is not skimping on the tech... It could mean that we have hit the limits of what we brought with us. It could also mean that we have hit a wall of diminishing returns as far as upgrading our weapons goes, and that we really won't get any more bang for our volume. Or it could mean that the mind path has nothing to offer that we don't already have... That last one seems doubtful to me...

Yes, the limits of the Body path. If I were to use Mad Science tropes, the Mind is Gadgeteer Genius and the Body is Evilutionary Biologist. Pretty much, Your total tech knowledge is "Premade designs on the computer database", "Assorted murky ideas relevant to Your specialty based on existing designs", and "You have a vague idea of a thing, but actually making it is trial and error."  There can be some updates to existing tech, like the Soldier making more efficient versions and variants of existing armor and weaponry, but there's only so far you can go. If You manage to hit MkV, it would be a surprise.

Humans will build defenses. At the very least against each other. And their Navy will grow in size.

Pirates exist. Mars is the Old West of this setting.

Also, there's nothing stopping one MegaCorp from attempting a hostile takeover or sending in corporate raiders aside from a negative result on a cost-benefit analysis.

7. Do Kai have to deal with rebellions often? Figured it would be minimal, what with the 'hive mind' thing. (ross/vet player)Do we only control the starting queen, or would we also assume control of the tech queen & her brood once we birthed her?

You're safe with one more Queen, and then there's an increasing chance of rebellion. Queens are specifically Independent, and if one decides the species is best lead by itself, it's going to act in the overall best interest of the Kai and attempt to take over. It's hard to tell, because a Queen is smart enough to co-operate until the moment of rebellion.

Past a certain point, it will transform into "Everyone votes for the overall Hive Mind; individual Queens with some degree of autonomy within the Hive Mind will be set to individual players." The players will still have to loosely conform to the general desires of the Hive Mind, of course. When it does get to that point, one of the players is gonna be receiving a special PM explaining that They decided the old Queen is impaired and that They feel an instinct to lead a coup.

Yes, I intend for this game to last longer than the previous one.

It seems that the ideal approach is a six-phased development. The first phase will be to secure our immediate conditions. This requires the securing of sustenance, shelter, and the capacity for future development.

This phase is complete.

The second phase is to expand our capacity for development, likely by producing many more queens. The third phase would be to develop the strains that we will require for the future stages. Stealth is the most important aspect for the first three phases. The fourth phase will be rapid expansion of our presence.

The Kai somewhere around here.

The fifth phase occurs when we are detected, and is the securing of this planet. The fifth phase will require the means to inhibit external interference and to rapidly dismantle planetary opposition.

10ebbor10 has a plan for this, involving destroying the Human orbital presence. We'll need a Tech Queen for that.

The sixth phase will involve the establishing of our extraplanetary presence. We must inhibit contact with opposing forces, rapidly improve our extraplanetary operations, ensure that we will survive calamity, likely by distributing ourselves to remote locations, and dismantle any opposition within our domain.

Yes.

What that would involve was not tested, but would, presumably, range from failure to operate according to our specifications to hives destroying other hives. As to the effects that this would have on the hivemind(us) is unknown, but potentially the consciousness would transfer to the survivors of such an event.

Yes.

Dangerous, slightly modified, and also other things. Basically, this thing is what we need if we want to find out what happens if you drug a larvae on Kai growth hormone.

For that specific purpose, there's no need to build a special machine. The Nurse can produce it, drug up a Larvae, and perform SCIENCE. I'm not saying "There is no need to do it whatsoever" because I can see the applications, but hormones, DNA-modified tissue samples, etc can be produced by the Nurse with ease. The Nurse can extrude a lot of substances, which does include limited amounts of toxic chemicals. It can be upgraded to help this (and it can be fed Bore Worms/Grubs, for that matter.)

It's not about to start urinating hydrochloric acid for obvious reasons, though.

[10ebbor10]

Well then, let's try to see what happens if we start giving additional growth hormones to a bore worm. Best keep it in the deeper parts for now, where it won't be noticed much.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Hm, only one queen is guaranteed to be loyal... That makes the choice of the first queen even more important.... Tech queen, Soldier Queen, Deep Queen, Pollinator Queen...  All will lead to very different hives

And I really prefer to create ideal mate first and use commanders for fixing the population issue meanwhile

[Morrigi]

[If you want to know the general appearance I have in mind, imagine this crab and this wasp combined. Fair warning that you really might not want to imagine that, of course... The Queen is different in the sense of her looking like this wasp, at least with the leg spikes.

They're almost cute in a horrifying sort of way.]

So a little like the Prawns from District 9 with an extra set of limbs?

[Xantalos]

...it fits. The prawns even have that little set of chest arbs that could be the evolved form of the other two arms.
DEAR GOD IT ALL FITS

[Morrigi]

And this is what happens when you abuse the aliums.

Friends, don't abuse the aliums. When they come back, they might want to eat you.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

D'oh, btw, can anyone explain what's up with this section from the last update?

In the meantime, You have been busy with bioresearch. First came the analysis of the alien species: the first is an oxygen-breating detrivore gastropod without a shell. The second proves to be a corpse of Human origins, although it does not actually appear to be a Human; instead, it is a larger, knuckle-walking primate that has undergone some amount of gene modification over generations to more closely resemble Humans, mostly in terms of intelligence. The last species is a large avian species from the same planet as the Xenoflora samples. More importantly, however, is the Grub's digestive processes; upon analysis, You find that their gastric juices are more acidic and more is produced than Drones and other stages of development; their internal flora is also more diverse. It would appear that the reduction in pH of more developed Kai  is enough to kill off the bacteria within or at least reduce the populations to be inable to digest as much. The Hybrid is doing fine. You note to send a Nurse down to the Deep Hive in lieu of dedicating resources to developing a machine to replicate the Nurse processess, lay an appropriate egg, and have the Tech Drones begin to assemble an additional Synthesizer and Stasis Chamber in the Deep Hive.