S1C5: And The Plant Men Wept
To my loyal subjects (who love and adore me),
Oh, if you wanted to draw a giant middle finger in the centre of the dome and point it right at the culties, that would be a smaller “fuck you” than I just pulled off.
The Underworld Collective were fresh off the heels of nearly taking Rivers End from the Cultivation Society; their focus was divided. I decided that was the best time to strike.
Just as they were in the thick of fighting in the water plant, we brought our iron sledgehammer down on Overwatch. We invaded the exterior, breaking through the measly guard that they had left. I ordered my troops to encircle the building and move inwards to cut off the building from the support of the Crates and the Roots. This was as simple as surrounding the smaller groups; they decided to cluster up, but that became their undoing.
While I was able to capture the exterior, I was unable to break into the lobby as the Cultivation Society were able to funnel the soldiers into the main reception and create a kill trap, sending barrages of lasers into them as they hunkered down in the main stairwell.
This caused an expertly timed tactical retreat on my end.
For now, I have ensured that we secure the exterior while fighting off any resistance from the Reeds, the Roots, or the Crates.
From here, we have a few choices:
We could be greedy and double-dip while we have Overwatch under control. Our potential targets are:
The Reeds - Small and nearly undefended. The only downside to this is that the territory isn’t particularly strategically useful.
The Roots - The Cultivation Society has the majority of its army stationed there. It would be a tough fight, but it would catch them completely off guard.
The Crates - The Cultivation Society’s main headquarters. They will fight tooth and nail for this place, but the strategic value of it is astronomical. If my army conquers the greenhouses, we can get our hands on Dionea.
Valhalla - This was recently conquered by the Oasis Network and serves as their smelting factory. I might just be able to take it because it’s so volatile, and this would give my troops the ability to attack the Circuits from another angle.
The Smoke - The Smoke is the main production factory for the Oasis Network. Taking this would mean that I could restart production on our robot army. However, this would likely lead to a prolonged and bloody offensive.
Rivers End - This was recently seized by the Underworld Collective from the Cultivation Society. This would give me control of the water again, but the last time we held the territory, we lost it almost instantly (at no fault of mine, of course).
The Circuits - The Black Market hub of Atlaunder and one of the biggest resources in the Underworld Collective’s arsenal. There are tunnels under the market that connect throughout the dome.
I could be less greedy and bring the hammer down on Overwatch, allowing me to fully take the building before anyone has the chance to interrupt. This would be the safe option, but there’s a chance the culties have a surprise for us waiting higher in the building.
As always, the choice is yours. Just make sure you’re smart enough for me to take credit for it, yeah?
God Emperor Jerit