EAST! Go east young ant.

>>36344
You start flying east.

You were not previously aware of it, but the flowers are in a valley, and you doubt you could make your way back out of the valley at any reasonable speed once your wings fall off.

Continue towards field of strange flowers?

Continue to the strange flowers. Sounds like hard mode, which is the only way to do things.

>>36346
You continue flying towards the strange flowers, sure all those colors mean they will be DELICIOUS.

As you descend to the level of the flowers, you notice several things:

1: there are several types of flowers, all markedly different in appearance and scent.

2: You can hear a great deal of buzzing coming from parts of the flower field.

2: the sweetest smells (and frequently both the brightest colored and the largest flowers) are in the areas where the buzzing is loudest.

3: the buzzing near the sweetest smelling flowers seems different than the other buzzing.

You have been flying for 15 minute, 45 mintues till you must lay your first batch of eggs.

What do you do?

(For current purposes, treat the flower field as having three discovered areas: An area with no buzzing noise but mediocre flowers, an area with quiet buzzing but better looking flowers, and an area with loud buzzing but really sweet smelling, large and colorful flowers)

>>36347

mediocre flowers until we get a colony started

Warning!

One of your wings was torn during a gust of wind!
You are undamged otherwise, but once you set down in one of the sectors, you will not be able to fly again, and as such, whichever area you go to will be the home of your initial colony. First sector to get three votes (or has the most votes 30 minutes after this post) will be where the colony will be founded.

>>36348
No Buzz: 0
Buzz, Good Flower: 1
Loud Buzz, Great Flower: 0

Buzz, Good flower.

I'm all for a bit of resistance but I like playing things safe as well.

>>36350
No Buzz: 0
Buzz, Good Flower: 2
Loud Buzz, Great Flower: 0

I'll support 'Buzz, Good flower' as well.

Here's hoping this colony doesn't get devoured by a certain other phase-tunneling horde of ants.

I too, suggest the middle option.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)09:39 No. 36354 ID: 6164e0
File 125173673656.jpg - (309.62KB , 1924x1740 , Large Flier.jpg )

>>36352
>>36350
>>36348

You decide to land near the softer buzzing sound. The loud buzzing seemed a bit unnerving, and you don't think it safe to investigate the bigger flowers on your own.

On your way to the ground, you fly past one of the creatures buzzing. You feel surprised, as while the noise it makes is soft, the beast is enormous, easily dwarfing you, and covered in a thick fur that likely would foul your mandibles. While observing the creature, you also get the chance to see what kind of flowers are in this area with more clarity. They are yellow blossomed, and look fairly dense and sticky. The stalks look edible as well.

You have landed. You have 30 minutes before you are forced to lay your first batch of eggs and you become hungry, however you can lay your eggs any time you wish prior to the time limit, and then be able to move about until you become too hungry.

You immediate area has a massive crescent-shaped mountain made out of undiggable rock easily over a foot tall, and is otherwise full of easily tunneled soil. Other than the rock, the only thing coming out of the ground is the breed of yellow flower you saw.

It seems the flying furred beast does not care to investigate you currently.

Note: Your eggs, if lain now, will hatch right as you run out of food. You are currently slated to lay 100 eggs. You have no existing breeds of ant in your memory, so you will have to invent your first breed. More on how this is done when the eggs are to be lain.

>>36354
You should try digging out a small nest with at least a little cave for laying the eggs so they are protected from other critters and the elements. The worker ants can expand it later.

>>36355
You must first choose whether to stop here and make the nest in the immediate area or continue exploring with the 30 minutes you have until you run out of food.

Dig a small nest on the lee side of the massive rock. Begin laying the eggs so further work can commence as soon as possible.

You might want to look for a place near food to dig the nest. I dunno what you eat, so whatever looks delicious to you.

>>36358
You have chosen to make your nest in the shelter of the rock. The digging progresses at a food speed thanks to the soft and loamy soil on top and easily compacted and shaped soil underneath. You find that the Rock is also crescent shaped underground, providing a powerful defense should any invaders try and tunnel from most sides. The only means of building access to this location are be tunneling down or through the small stretch of dirt between the ends of the rock's crescent.

It takes you all of five minutes to build space for your first batch of eggs.

You have built: Basic Colony

You do not have food for when the eggs hatch

You will run out of food and become lethargic in 25 minutes.

You must lay your eggs within 25 minutes.

Laying Eggs will take five minutes.

You require 20 units of food in 25 minutes to avoid becoming lethargic from lack of food.

Each egg will require 1 unit of food before it can transition from larva to ant.

Some of the yellow flowers are very close to the entrance to your Basic Colony.

The large flying beast is still moving about between the blossoms of the flowers near your hive, and the amount of buzzing you heard on the way down suggests there are others similarly working on the other blossoms.

Action?

Check the leaves of the plants to determine if they are edible. If so, harvest them. If not, go for the nectar and hope the flying creatures ignore you. Gather as much as you can in the next twenty minutes, than begin laying eggs.

When harvesting, try to avoid flowers that are obviously being used by the flying creatures, but if that isn't possible the queen will simply have to risk it.

>>36370
You journey back outside, and approach a nearby flower. You keep a wary gaze skyward, hoping the giant furred creatures do not bother you. You clip off one of the leaves, and try a bite. The leaf seems edible, if not nearly as tasty as you imagine the flowers and their nectar are.

The leaves are fairly large, and you can only carry one at a time. However, your best guess puts one leaf at possessing 15 units of food, and each flower seems to have several leaves.

You could probably drag ten leaves to your basic Colony in a further five minutes, if you strip the flower nearest to your Basic Colony. If you choose to more evenly thin the nearby flowers, it will likely take twenty minutes to bring ten leaves back.

What do you do?

Lay eggs, then eat. After doing so, continue to gather food until the eggs hatch, at which point you should feed them. After the first batch is mature, we can retire to our chamber.

>>36374

You head back to the hive with the leaf you already clipped off, and the flying beasts seem to not care.

Upon returning to the basic Colony, you decide to lay your first clutch now, and gather food while they develop.

Because you are a new queen, you have no established breeds to produce.

Since you have never made a breed before, you don't think you can get very specific in terms of what you want, but you can choose any of the following:

jack of all trades
focus on mobility
focus on combat
focus on digging/harvesting
roll a 1d30 (1 being the worst, 30 being awesome) to try and randomly make the new breed (not recommended for first breed)

Because this is your first breed, you can choose to produce less eggs to expend more energy making the new breed. This will improve the breed's quality, irrelevant of method of creation chosen. You can choose to create 100, 50 or 25 eggs for the first batch, with the less eggs made, the larger the quality boost. This can only be done during special circumstances, such as creating your first breed or having the queen consume a potent new food for the first time (note: any organic material that is not poisonous to your offspring will not be poisonous to you).

When choosing which focus to have for the breed, please designate how many eggs you want produced.

First choice combination to get two votes becomes the new breed.

>>36375
digging/harvesting

>>36376
Please designate how many eggs for your choice, as requested in >>36375

>>36379

Can you change the quality of the breed later if needed, or once selected is it permanently set?

Just curious. Either way, I suggest: 25 Digging/Harvesting.

>>36382
Since incidents when you can actively choose the quality of the breed are relatively rare, it is a permanent designation.

25 Digging/Harvesting. Quality over quantity.

>>36382
I suggest 25, jack of all trades or digging/harvesting. The others are specialists, and we can't afford that right now.

>>36375
25 dig/harvest

>>36376
>>36382
>>36384
>>36385
>>36386
In the hive, you lay 25 eggs, trying very hard to make high quality ants that are good at Digging/Harvesting. You think you did a good job for your first attempt, but won't be sure till they hatch 30 minutes from now.

You have 20 minutes until the eggs hatch.

You need 25 units of food in the next 20 minutes to avoid becoming lethargic.

You have 15 units of food (one leaf)

What do you do?

>>36388
Back to the leaves! Take just what you need and no more, spreading your harvesting targets amongst the flowers as much as possible so as not to permanently damage any one flower (unless you have to). Also, leave the flower petals alone for now until you have some soldier ants to take on the flying furred creature.

>>36390
You manage to gather a further ten leaves, being mindful to not take too many from any one plant and spread the cuttings widely.

Twenty minutes of foraging pass.

!!WARNING!!As you return to the hive with the final leaf, you see an armored beast with many legs moving directly towards your hive. It is clear it intends to enter you Basic Colony.

What do you do?

>>36390
I say we do minimal damage to the flowers until we get some workers, but then we should see if felling a whole flower works well or not

>>36392
!!! how close is it to the colony? can we rush in and get a few eggs and rush out before it gets here?

>>36392
We have no time to lay more eggs or build another nest! You can't let this thing stop you! Bullrush it, waving your leaf menacingly!

>Bullrush it, waving your leaf menacingly!

And if that doesn't scare it off, go for a leg with your mandibles of steel!

>>36394
You barely beat the creature back to the Basic Colony, you doubt you could even get into the Basic Colony without it catching your back.

>>36396
You rush the creature, enraged at a threat to your new hive!

You snip off some of its front legs on the right side before it notices you rushed it. It is longer than you, but thinner. You are slightly outweighed by it. It is now aware of you, and is turning to face you.

What do you do?

I'm not sure what we're fighting, but let's do what we should have done from the start: Get on it's back, bite off its head.

Dart to the left. After losing legs on the right side it should have a hard time turning quickly enough to defend itself.

Attempt to bite off some of the rear left legs while howling in fury as best as an ant can. Those who threaten the colony shall feed the colony!

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)11:44 No. 36404 ID: 6164e0
File 125174425053.jpg - (31.54KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat.jpg )

>>36400
You try to leap on the creature's back, but you find your movements dulled. Oh no, you are starting to become lethargic from lack of food!

Thankfully, the creature is slowed enough from the wounds you inflicted earlier that it cannot catch you as you scramble back from your failed attempt to jump on it's back.

You are becoming lethargic.

There is a single leaf abandoned a short distance behind you.

The assailant is partially wounded, but otherwise still set on eating you and then investigating your colony.

There are a few severed legs from the creature next to you.

You have ten leaves (150 units of food) in the colony.

You have 25 eggs in the colony that will hatch in ten minutes.

What do you do?

Grab the leaf and try to lure the creature away from the nest. If possible, eat while running.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)11:49 No. 36406 ID: 6164e0
File 125174453996.jpg - (30.86KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat 2.jpg )

>>36401
You try to circle around the beast, sure that in its wounded state it is slower than you in your lethargic state.

Queen has become ENRAGED, and hisses violently at the creature, clacking its mandibles before trying to bite off some rear legs.

You are met with partial success, but the creature shows no signs of slowing, and the lethargy is starting to become more powerful.

What do you do?

>>36405
You will need rest as well as food before the Lethargic trait is removed.

While the creature has not slowed further from the second strike on its legs, you have noticed it is moving strangely to keep itself balanced.

The lethargy is still growing, and it is likely that unbalanced or not, the creature will likely be faster than you in the next few minutes.

five minutes have passed since the start of the confrontation.

Queen is Lethargic, and is growing slower.

Eggs will hatch in five minutes.

There are leg segments of the creature scattered around nearby.

The one leaf on the surface is now off to your left.

What do you do?

>>36409
try to bite off one more leg, then go and eat some of the leaf.

>>36412
You once more circle to the creature's right, but it seems to know this strategy now, and backs away while turning to follow you.

You are unable to reach it's legs without exposing your side to its jaws!

You try to retreat to eat some of the leaf, but it immediately starts heading towards your colonies entrance as fast as it can!

!!Warning!! Undefended eggs are in danger!

What do you do?

The situation is looking pretty grim.

I say go for an all out blitz against this thing and hope to drive it off or possibly kill it. Attempt to anticipate its movement as it tries to keep balanced. Clamber up the back of the beast and drive your mandibles into its neck. Commence ENRAGED chewing.

EAT one of the legs you bite off

food points + combat points

>>36417
battle! eat legs! back off once you start getting too lethargic to fight, I think into the colony.

>>36417
Attack its unbalanced side to try and completely take out its ability to move. No retreat - we have to protect the hive!

If it tries to get you in its jaws, take out one or both of its antennae - preferably the one on the unbalanced side.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:17 No. 36420 ID: 6164e0
File 125174626815.jpg - (29.82KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat 3.jpg )

>>36414
You charge the creature, hissing outrage that it would attack your colony!

The creature whips around to try and defend itself, but not before it gets a further few legs snipped off.

You are now locked in a point blank struggle with the creature at the entrance to the colony. It doesn't yet have a good grip on you, but that might change. However, if you back off for your own safety, it is likely it will invade the hive.

What do you do?

...go super saiyan?

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:22 No. 36422 ID: 6164e0
File 125174652573.jpg - (29.06KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat 4.jpg )

>>36418
You continue struggling with the creature, unwilling to let it enter the hive.

>>36419

It brings its head in to finally try and take a chunk out of you now that you are in reach, but you take on of it's antenna for its effort.

Creature is now severely disoriented! It was unable to bite you.

What do you do?

>>36420
finish off chopping all the legs off of one side, and then retreat to the leaves. laugh and hiss as the thing crawls in circles to get at you.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:24 No. 36424 ID: 6164e0
File 125174666518.jpg - (28.43KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat 5.jpg )

>>36423
You continue assaulting its legs on the injured side, and are met with success!

The creature is now immobilized and disoriented!

The creature is vulnerable!

What do you do?

>>36424
OM NOM NOM.

>>36424
Snatch that other antenna and leave it to die.
Or do we have enough time to get the other side of legs off and drag it in to die somewhere else?

Harvest this food source for the colony!

>>36424
drag it towards your colony, leg-side out. See if you can block up the hole with it- you and your children can eat your way out as you get hungry.

Take off the other antenna and commence OM NOM NOM.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:34 No. 36431 ID: 6164e0
File 125174727658.jpg - (26.59KB , 600x406 , Colony Threat DEAD.jpg )

>>36426
You show no mercy to the creature, and start eating it while it is weakened. It tries to turn about to fend you off, and you rip its head off for its troubles. You continue eating from your first kill.

!!Notice!! ant queen has become more aggressive!
!!Notice!! ant queen is now KILLER QUEEN.
!!Notice!! you have discovered Nest Robber Centipede as a food! It is very tasty!

Your eggs will hatch shortly.

There is still a leaf untended on the surface.

There are assorted legs from the creature strewn about.

The queen has eaten enough food that with some rest she will lose the Lethargic trait.

What do you do?

>>36431
drag all the bits we just left around into the hive, and finally rest

>>36431
lay 25 jack of trades eggs, lay 25 fightan ants
eat, rest.

Suggestion 2009/08/31(Mon)12:37 No. 36435 ID: 06fc25
File 125174745543.jpg - (58.54KB , 600x822 , Killer-Queen-Poster.jpg )

Drag the dead centipede and the leaf into the nest if there is room. Regardless, you must rest. The work has only just begun.

>>36431
Don't forget to drag the leaf in - we don't want to show any sign of where the colony is. Clean up entirely (including centipede legs) before resting.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:49 No. 36445 ID: 6164e0
File 125174816646.jpg - (16.25KB , 613x871 , Basic Colony.jpg )

>>36433
>>36435
>>36436
KILLER QUEEN drags all the fallen pieces of the Nest Robber Centipede into the nest, and bring in the last leaf as well. You wish to avoid being attacked in your home, and leaving food outside is no way to achieve such a goal.

>>36434
You will need to rest for 30 minutes before you can lay more eggs.

Upon bringing all the food back into the Basic Colony, you take stock of your supplies.

165 units of yellow flower leaf
~45 units Nest Robber Centipede

Queen is Sated, and will lose the Lethargic trait with rest.

!!Notice!! First batch of eggs hatching!

"Awaken my children, and embrace the glory that is your birthright. Know that I am the Killer Queen; the eternal will of the colony, and that you have been created to serve me."

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)12:54 No. 36447 ID: 6164e0
File 125174844963.jpg - (9.10KB , 300x202 , New Breed.jpg )

Your first attempt at making a new breed has finally hatched!

Your new ants are 3mm long and 3mm wide (mostly leg), and seem well adapted to foraging/digging/harvesting.

!!Notice!! because of the extra effort you put into making your first new breed, they have a special ability: They can ingest food and store concentrated nutrients in their abdomen which can expand (hence the long legs so they can still move), but become much slower when carrying concentrate.

KILLER QUEEN feels proud of her first attempt at making a new breed, and feels the were Made In Heaven.

What will KILLER QUEEN call the new breed?

What do you do?

>>36446
You attempt to send a pheremone speech to your new ants, but they don't seem very intelligent. They can follow orders perfectly well, though.

(once new ants are named and have started eating some food, you will gain access to earned upgrades)

Extra info:

KILLER QUEEN is 15mm long, 7mm wide.

The new ants can regurgitate stored concentrate, and do not need to be killed to harvest it.

New ants can store up to 20 units of food before they can no longer move due to weight.

>>36447
Bloaters.

Also, cackle.

>>36447
Ooh, let's go for a Starcraft theme. I would suggest Drones (since they gather resources), but there are actual ants called drones.

Umm... "Gatherlisks"?

>>36450
(note: all titles and names must be Album/song titles or Band names)

we are operating under JoJo naming rules.

>>36453
Drones would be female, so Fat-Bottomed Girls, then.

>(note: all titles and names must be Album/song titles or Band names)

Harvesters of Sorrow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvester_of_Sorrow

>>36453
Fat Bottomed Girls.

>>36454
Oops, didn't see your post. But that immediately came to mind for me too.

Let's do eet!

>>36456
Hilariously Appropriate name given.

New breed is now Fat Bottomed Girls Ant Strain.

What do you desire them to eat as larva?

>>36460
Leaves, for now.
We should save the centipede for the warrior strains, so they can feast on the blood of foes as a welcome to the world.

The centipede. It wished to feed on them, it is only appropriate they return the favor.

Suggestion 2009/08/31(Mon)13:11 No. 36465 ID: 01383e
File 125174949291.jpg - (45.52KB , 500x282 , little_black_ant_31.jpg )

>>36343
>blessed by the color red

MOTHERFUCKER

DID YOU INSINUATE THAT BLACKS ARE NOT ALSO BLESSED

>>36461
You designate the leaves as food for Fat Bottomed Girls.

!!NOTICE!!Your first clutch of ants has now eaten enough to become grown ants!

!!NOTICE!!KILLER QUEEN is no longer Lethargic, and can either stay in the nest to make more ants or venture out.

!!NOTICE!!YOU HAVE REACHED A CHECKPOINT: COLONY ESTABLISHED

ASSESSING UPGRADES EARNED.

Successful defense of Basic Colony while Lethargic: 1 upgrade
Found tasty new food: Nest Robber Centipede: 1 upgrade

You have earned: 2 total upgrades.

Please spend upgrades on the following:

Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain.
Create New Ant Strain
Upgrade Exoskeletons
Upgrade Mandible Quality
Specialize KILLER QUEEN (choose either attack, defense, harvesting, digging or mobility) (can specialize multiple times, and stack upgrades)

>>36465
No, simply that by Quest fiat, being red means we evolve faster(and because it is a common trope that 'RED WUNZ GO FASTA')

Black ants just have different bonuses.

I vote for Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain twice.

If that is not acceptable, Improve FBG strain and Create New Ant Strain - Warriors

>>36471
Creating a new ant strain currently follows the rules presented here
>>36375


The first two upgrades to get three votes are the ones chosen, or whichever two have the most support 30 minutes from now.

>>36471
I agree with this gentleman's second choice - we need a bit of diversity to expand well, and given our choice of location we probably want warriors. Our next upgrade will probably need to be mandibles, so we can deal with the bees' 'hairy' protection.

>>36471
>>36475

Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain 1
Create New Ant Strain 2
Upgrade Exoskeletons
Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Specialize KILLER QUEEN

!!Notice!! As KILLER QUEEN is new to rapidfire evolution, you cannot currently choose the same upgrade multiple times at a checkpoint. This can change in the future as you learn more about how to tweak genes.

new ant strain
upgrade fat bottoms

>>36479
Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain 2
Create New Ant Strain 3 !!CHOSEN!!
Upgrade Exoskeletons
Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Specialize KILLER QUEEN

Still need to decide on the second upgrade.
(If you have any questions on what an upgrade will do, I shall answer them)

>(If you have any questions on what an upgrade will do, I shall answer them)

>roll a 1d30 (1 being the worst, 30 being awesome) to try and randomly make the new breed

What is the best and worst that could happen with this, generally speaking?

>>36489
Maceants and lye-makers, respectively.

the fatbottoms need an upgrading, and I say we make a jack-of-all-trades or a warrior. Either works.

>>36489
A 1 is something significantly harmful to your hive, be it uncontrollable cannibal tendencies or having a powerful scent that attracts predators. For a roll of 1-3, the negative traits will start randomly manifesting in further clutches, with 1 having the highest manifestation rate and the worst negative.

A 30 would be something with multiple special abilities (like Fat Bottomed Girls ability to store concentrated food), like high speed and precision flight, being severely poisonous upon ingestion or bite to other creatures, or being able to change exoskeletal coloring to blend in with one's environment.

For reference, Fat Bottomed Girls is the equivalent of rolling 16-18.

>>36498
Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain 3 !!CHOSEN!!
Create New Ant Strain 3 !!CHOSEN!!
Upgrade Exoskeletons
Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Specialize KILLER QUEEN

!!Notice!! Fat Bottomed Girls are now 5mm/5mm, and can carry up to 25units of food before being immobilized, as well as evidencing marginally increased speed at any given amount of food stored/carried as compared to before.

!!NOTICE!! Designate manner of new breed creation:
jack of all trades
focus on mobility
focus on combat
focus on digging/harvesting
roll a 1d30 (1 being the worst, 30 being awesome) to try and randomly make the new breed

First option to get three votes will be the new strain.

>>36509
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD
I mean combat.
I vote for combat.

>>36509
Do we have rollan?

>>36509
Combat, definitely. We even have fresh meat for them to eat.

Thirding combat.

Combat!
((Also, loving the similarities from sup/tg/'s version while still keeping yours different.))

>>36515
If Random is the strain choice made(meaning it gets three votes before any other choice), the first person to use dice 1d30 will be the roll used. There are no re-rolls, so long as the roll made was a d30.

>>36514
>>36518
>>36522
Combat-oriented strain focus chosen.

>>36518
KILLER QUEEN thinks she could make the new strain more powerful by making it carnivorous, but the only fauna she has is the leftover Centipede, which would only provide food for around 100 larva to metamorphosis into adults. After that, she is unsure where she would get a steady supply of food for them.

KILLER QUEEN can make any number of eggs each batch between 25 and 100. (she needs more food for herself the more eggs she lays)

Once the new breed is made and named, KILLER QUEEN will need to eat every 30 minutes or become Lethargic. If KILLER QUEEN does not eat for an hour, she will die. All other ants require a feeding to become adults, and then a feeding every hour or they become Lethargic, and if an ant is not fed for two hours, it will die.

KILLER QUEEN and her offspring do not need to sleep, and as long as they are regularly fed, they never need to rest. Removing the Lethargic trait from offspring requires both food and 1 hour of non-activity.

>>36525
Still waiting on:

How many eggs should be made (25min, 100max, preferably divisible by five)

Whether to change diet of new strain to improve capabilities in exchange for narrowed diet.

>>36525
This is why I asked if the quality of ants could be changed. We need both lower quality cannon-fodder for keeping enemy ants (or other foes) busy while our shock ants swoop in on a strategic part of the battlefield to attack weaknesses.

Using only one type isn't a good idea.

But I recommend making 25 high quality guards for the first batch to patrol and guard the nest and Fat-bottoms as they harvest.

>>36528

Produce 50 eggs. It's too dangerous to make them carnivorous right now, as we lack a steady source of meat.

>>36528
25. Narrowed diet seems like a bad idea, however.,

I'll vote for 25 with a normal diet.

Just to clarify:

25, normal diet.

>>36529
>>36532
>>36533
>>36535

Disclaimer: lessening clutch size only improves strain quality in rare instances. This is not one of them. The only difference clutch size normally makes is in how many mouths you end up having to feed.

Specialized Diet not chosen.

Still need clutch size and a name for the breed.

>>36536
Current choice is to lay 25 eggs without a restricted diet.

Does KILLER QUEEN see any objections to this choice?

>>36538
No objections here.

For breed name: The Merciless, in honor of Ming. And it stays in keeping with the Queen theme, more or less.

>>36542
Death on Six Legs, perhaps?

>>36545

Also good, though I'd feel obligated to pump a lot of points into upgrading them so they can live up to the name.

>>36542
25 eggs lain of The Merciless Strain.

!!NOTICE!! CHECKPOINT ENDING
!!NOTICE!! CAN NOW DIRECT ADULT ANTS
!!NOTICE!! RUNNING OUT OF SPACE IN BASIC COLONY
!!NOTICE!! KILLER QUEEN HAS MUTATED FROM CONSUMING THE POISON SACS IN THE NEST ROBBER CENTIPEDE'S HEAD. KILLER QUEEN IS NOW CAPABLE OF SPITTING POISON. THE EFFECTS OF THE POISON ARE UNKNOWN.

COLONY IS NOW OPERATIONAL
COLONY AGE: 500000 HOURS

STATUS:
KILLER QUEEN: Sated, can produce more eggs in 30 minutes
Fat Bottomed Girls: 25, Sated, all in hive
The Merciless: 25 larva (already fed) will mature in 30 minutes.

FOOD:
90 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)

Orders for Fat Bottomed Girls/Commands for KILLER QUEEN can now be entered.

For anyone suggesting new construction to the colony, it helps if you draw your suggestion using
>>36445
as a template.

подметно 2009/08/31(Mon)15:20 No. 36550 ID: f78140
File 125175720766.jpg - (21.01KB , 613x871 , colonyV2.jpg )

>>36549
get 20 fat bottoms to dig a forward but connected hole to contain the merciless, once they're fully grown, in addition to more space for future ants, and a deeper level for eggs and KILLER QUEEN.

have the remaining 5 fat bottoms go grab more food.

killer queen on guard duty.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)15:27 No. 36552 ID: 6164e0
File 125175766242.gif - (123.74KB , 988x595 , The Merciless.gif )

Pic of what The Merciless looks like.

The merciless will grow to 3mm long/2.5mm wide, and are much more compact than Fat Bottomed Girls.

The Merciless significantly outweigh Fat Bottomed Girls (except when Fat Bottomed Girls have 5 or more units of nutrient concentrate stored)

The Merciless move more slowly than an unloaded Fat Bottomed Girl, but are more durable.

Suggestion 2009/08/31(Mon)15:29 No. 36554 ID: 06fc25
File 125175778717.jpg - (26.82KB , 613x871 , 125174816646.jpg )

1. Main entrance with guards
2. Primary food storage
3. Rest area for lethargic/idle ants
4. Royal Guard chamber
5. Secondary food storage for larva
6. Queen's chamber

The dead ends are there to slow down invaders. The second entrance near the mouth of the crescent rock leads to 1. If possible, camouflage it and station some guards.

>>36550
Fat Bottomed Girls can either bring food back to the colony conventionally, or bring back several time more by taking the time to consume food on sight to make nutrient concentrate. This act also feeds Fat Bottomed Girls.

Please designate which method of food collection your suggestion follows.

Additionally, 'Gather Food' is vague. The only things established as edible are Nest Robber Centipedes (of which you have only seen the one) and the leaves of the yellow flowers that grow in the area. The yellow flowers and their nectar smell tasty, so you are fairly sure those are also edible.
As of yet, you don't know anything about your local landscape besides what you gleaned from your flight down and from your initial bit of observation of your immediate surroundings. Anything further than two feet from the rock is currently under fog of war.

>>36555
feed on leaves of the nearby flowers, spread out as to not kill them, and conventionally for now: slowing them down makes them easy targets for predators. also, >>36554 's colony is much better thought out than mine.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)15:50 No. 36558 ID: 6164e0
File 125175902140.jpg - (18.81KB , 613x871 , Basic Colony 2.jpg )

>>36550
>>36554
KILLER QUEEN has 20 of the Fat Bottomed Girls begin expanding the colony, and adding new entrances that are not visible from outside the crescent (Also visible only to low flying creatures actively looking for them)

You may have grand plans for the hive in the future, but for now, it is a work in progress. The 20 Fat Bottomed Girls assigned to expanding the hive work tirelessly for you.

The five Fat Bottomed Girls sent out to take leaves without stripping the plants can only carry one leaf at a time due to their size, and coordinating their movements slow them. They have managed to bring back five more leaves.

As of yet, the flying furred beasts still seem to completely ignore you.

COLONY AGE: 0.5 HOURS

STATUS:
KILLER QUEEN: Sated, can produce more eggs
Fat Bottomed Girls: 25, Sated (need feeding in 30 minutes), 5 gathering, 20 expanding colony
The Merciless: 25, Sated, all in main chamber

FOOD:
140 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)

(Note: Unless otherwise requested, all ants will eat the lowest quality food first)

>>36558
(Forgot to add this part)

Further orders?

The Merciless are still in the main chamber doing nothing.

All Fat Bottomed Girls are currently occupied, but could be reassigned.

KILLER QUEEN is ready to produce a new batch of eggs if so desired of a clutch size anywhere from 25 to 100, and can now designate what strains are produced, and how many of each strain to produce (ex: could make 75 eggs, 50 The Merciless 25 Fat Bottomed Girls)

We could definitely use more Fat Bottom Girls to hasten hive construction and food gathering. Say, fifty for now?

Incidentally, how far away is that old ironwood stump from our present location?

>>36560

And have The Merciless scout around the rock.

>>36560
Keep in mind we flew from there, and now would have to walk.

You feel that without flight, it would take a very long time to get back.

>>36561
How many The Merciless would you like to scout around the rock?

>>36563
Send 5.

>>36564
KILLER QUEEN sends 5 of The Merciless out to scout the immediate area. Findings should be back in 30 minutes.

Any further plans to implement or change before the next half hour passes?

>>36560
It has been proposed to lay 50 eggs, and have all of them be Fat Bottomed Girls.

Any differing opinions should be voiced now.

>>36566
15 more merciless, 45 more fat bottoms.

Whichever strain distribution and egg total gets another different poster to agree with it first is the one that will be used.

!!NOTICE!! Ants other than KILLER QUEEN will only feed themselves if they are currently unoccupied. Ant currently engaged in tasks will only feed when ordered to do so. You can add orders to feed to existing orders.

>>36560
>>36567

Egg distribution totals:
65 total eggs, 15 The Merciless, 50 Fat Bottomed Girls.

Last chance to change orders before time advances 30 minutes.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)17:21 No. 36572 ID: 6164e0
File 12517644606.jpg - (20.46KB , 613x871 , Basic Colony 3.jpg )

Work has continued without pause to expand the hive, and the new entrances finally meet with chamber 2. All the food, as well as KILLER QUEEN, are in chamber 1.

Both chambers 2 and 3 are finished enough that they can now have objects moved to them, even while construction continues.

Chamber 2 current maximum capacity: 100 points
Chamber 3 current maximum capacity: 75 points
(KILLER QUEEN is worth 10 points, The Merciless and Fat Bottomed Girls are worth 1 point. Food is 1 point per unit of food)


COLONY AGE: 1.0 HOURS

TOTALS:
1 KILLER QUEEN
75 Fat Bottomed Girls
40 The Merciless

STATUS:
KILLER QUEEN: Sated, can produce more eggs
Fat Bottomed Girls: 50 Sated (in main chamber, unassigned), 25 Lethargic (all actions at half speed, if not fed in one hour, will die), 5 gathering, 20 expanding colony
The Merciless: 40, Sated, 35 in chamber 1, 5 scouting around rock

FOOD:
125 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)

!!NOTICE!! Contact lost with all The Merciless scouting rock. Reason: Unknown.

hey guys, I have a beehive, and let me give you a hot tip:

bees oftentimes have piles of dead bees under their hive, which should provide a small but continuous source of protein

>>36572
danger? send 20 merciless to investigate.
send 10 merciless to guard the gatherers that are eat/carrying.
5 merciless on guard duty
have 25 fat bottoms continue to expand
have 25 gather food: eat and walk. flowers, and if the merciless find anything and kill it, it's corpse.
have 25 eat/transfer food to chamber 3. (the lethargic ones)
queen: lay 25 fat bottoms, 25 merciless.

>>36576
uh

Can I suggest you assign some fatbottoms to nursing duty as well? that's kind of important for ants, moving the eggs around, keeping them cool, feeding other ants, etc.

>>36585
we have a queen that killed a centipede and can spit poison. nursing duty is taken care of.

>>36576
20 The Merciless sent to investigate lost ants. Findings at next half hour mark.
10 The Merciless dispatched to guard Fat Bottomed Girls bringing food to the hive.
5 The Merciless patrolling inside hive as guards.
25 Fat Bottomed Girls assigned to expand Colony.
25 Fat Bottomed Girls assigned to consume resources on sight and bring back Concentrated Nutrients. At what amount (from 1 unit to 25 units) should they return? Keep in mind that the closer they get to their maximum capacity, the slower they move (speed stays unchanged until 10 units, and then slowly decays as the numbers climb from there)
25 Lethargic Fat Bottomed Girls assigned to feed themselves and then bring all food to chamber 3.

New Standing Order to Fat Bottomed Girls:
Consume any corpses discovered.

!!NOTICE!! Because there are so many flying furred beasts, it is highly likely that any attempt to harvest directly from the blossoms will place ants in directly in the path of the beasts. Currently no ants are assigned to attempting to harvest from the blossoms.

>>36585
As
>>36588
guessed, KILLER QUEEN is blessed by the color red and the speed it entails, she is only rendered unable to move and act for five minutes when she lays eggs. Her remaining time is then used to care for the eggs/larva until they are fully grown.

KILLER QUEEN is now preparing to lay 50 eggs, 25 The Merciless and 25 Fat Bottomed Girls in chamber 1.

Should KILLER QUEEN start laying in chamber 1? (any time she lays eggs means that another half hour will pass)

KILLER QUEEN lays 50 eggs, 25 The Merciless, 25 Fat Bottomed Girls.

KILLER QUEEN realizes that her colony does not have a name. KILLER QUEEN wishes to name the colony (naming rules the same as before, must be a song/album title or the name of a musical group)

Once the colony is named, time will advance.

>>36634
name it Crescent. (yes, this is the name of a band. i checked)

>>36640
And how many units of concentrated nutrients should each Fat Bottomed Girl out resource gathering stop at and return to the hive?

>>36643
I say 15 at first. if they start getting eaten by things, we can reduce it to 10 until the guards pacify the area.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)19:32 No. 36655 ID: 6164e0
File 125177235964.jpg - (21.79KB , 613x871 , Basic Colony 4.jpg )

Work expanding Crescent continues, but KILLER QUEEN seems to have lost track of where she is going to take the colonies design.

CRESCENT COLONY AGE: 1.5 HOURS

TOTALS:
1 KILLER QUEEN
100 Fat Bottomed Girls
60(65?) The Merciless

STATUS:
KILLER QUEEN: Sated, can produce more eggs
Fat Bottomed Girls:
-25 Lethargic Fed (Will lose Lethargic in 30 minutes), Idle in Chamber 3
-25 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Expanding Colony
-25 Sated (self-feeding), consuming yellow flower leaves and returning at 15 units of Concentrated Nutrients
-25 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

The Merciless:
-20 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Investigating loss of contact with 5 The Merciless.
-10 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Guarding Fat Bottomed Girls resource gathering.
-5 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Patrolling Crescent.
-25 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

FOOD:
25 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)
375 units of Concentrated Nutrients (Quality unknown, food has not been sampled)

Storage:
Chamber 1 current maximum capacity: 300 points (230/300 used)
Chamber 2 current maximum capacity: 400 points (0/400 used)
Chamber 3 current maximum capacity: 300 points (300/300 used)
(KILLER QUEEN is worth 10 points, The Merciless and Fat Bottomed Girls are worth 1 point. Food is 1 point per unit of food)


!!NOTICE!! The yellow flowers in your immediate vicinity are now thinned. Further leaf gathering will slow unless you are willing to strip the plants.
!!NOTICE!! Storage overflow in Chamber 3, additional food stored in Chamber 1.
!!NOTICE!! 20 Merciless have encountered several sandy sinkholes on the opposing side of the rock.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)19:50 No. 36666 ID: 6164e0
File 125177345134.jpg - (58.32KB , 400x281 , Pits.jpg )

Pic of what The Merciless found. Still no sign of the lost ants.

Action?

>>36666
make a note of the doodlebug pit. avoid it like the plague.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)20:00 No. 36673 ID: 6164e0
File 125177402724.jpg - (27.41KB , 312x212 , Pit Monster.jpg )

>>36671
KILLER QUEEN attempts to order The Merciless to stay clear of the hole.

...Perhaps you did too good of a job making The Merciless aggressive. Despite your orders, they charge one of the sinkholes, willing to give their lives to keep Crescent safe!

The sand shifts under them, and as the forward-most ant approachs the bottom, a creature appears out of the sand, and with a snap of its jaws bisects the ant. However, it was not expecting a group to charge straight into its home, and it is forced out of the soil.

Control has switched to:
The Merciless X19

Actions?

>>36673
Circle and attack from behind.

>>36674
Attempts to circle behind the monster prove fruitless, as it always turns towards the largest grouping of The Merciless.

!On of the ants got too close circling, and was broken by the jaws.

The Merciless X18

>>36673
it's a doodlebug pit. you can go forward, or you can go forward while trying to go backwards.
attempt to destroy it's mandibles before it can kill all the merciless.

STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THOSE JAWS
Try removing legs and ripping holes in the abdomen. Definitely all attack at once.

>>36678
split up. We still have 18 merciless, that's more than enough to surround it.

swarm it! bite any and all soft bits!

>>36682
The Merciless through caution to the wind!

>>36683
They spread wide to surround the beast, and bravely charge it!

The monster attempts to pick off another one, but something strange happens: The Merciless are crowding together so closely to try to kill it that its jaws get jammed open by the push of bodies! three more ants fall, but the creature cannot stop the angry swarm from engulfing it.

!!NOTICE!! Monster has been killed!
!!NOTICE!! The Merciless Strain has evidenced the Strain Trait: Fearless Unity. The More Merciless fighting in tandem, the more effective they become, willing to spend their lives for the glory of KILLER QUEEN.

15 Merciless left. Orders?

>>36690
well, the merciless have done their jobs well. have them drag the thing back to the hive, and leave a trail of both food and danger pherimones. we want more warriors to kill the other one.

>>36690

Drag the body back to the nest in triumph. Have one of The Merciless try some of monster's flesh to ensure it is safe to eat. If so, present it to the queen as a trophy of their first battle.

!!NOTICE!!Due to the intense fighting, the already hungry Merciless are now dangerously close to becoming Lethargic.

>dangerously close to becoming Lethargic.

Alright, have all fifteen chow down on the monster and bring what's left back to the nest.

>and leave a trail of both food and danger pheromones. we want more warriors to kill the other one.

I agree with this idea.

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)20:32 No. 36702 ID: 6164e0
File 125177596726.jpg - (206.42KB , 600x400 , Big Ant.jpg )

>>36695
One of The Merciless moves forward, gorging itself on the dead beast.

!!NOTICE!! A strange change is taking place! The Merciless grows larger, more durable, and more deadly. The Ant is now 6mm long, 4mm wide, and is better adapted to walking on loose sand.

!?!SECRET EVENT FOUND!?!: The Merciless will transform if they eat creatures like this!

You control:
The Merciless X14 (very close to becoming Lethargic from lack of food)
New Ant Strain X1

(I also need a name for this new strain)

>>36700
The remaining Merciless, after seeing their compatriot become so altered, all rush forward, and in a great swarming frenzy, devour the beast whole.

You are now in control of:

New Ant Strain X15

Orders?

Since we went with The Merciless last time, let's call _this_ breed Death on Six Legs.

Test out their new capabilities with the denizen of the other hole?

>>36705
Let them rest and eat first.
And bring the other Merciless along so they can feast on the other one.

>>36703
idk how many units of food are left from this thing, but haul it back for additional merciless to feast upon.

>>36705
New Breed Designated: Death on Six Legs

The very first fifteen Death on Six Legs approach the other sand pit, sure another monster lurks within.

The Death on Six Legs march down the pit, stopping short when they feel the rumblings of a monster surfacing.

....The Beast does not seem as terrifying to them now. They prepare to assault it, but don't seem very enthused with the idea of slaughtering it so easy. Where is the challenge?

The Death On Six Legs wave their antenna about, pondering what to do, when the first Death on Six Legs boldly moves forward, hissing a challenge at the monster.

The beast strikes, trying to crush the ant.

!!NOTICE!! Death on Six Legs is evidencing a new Strain Trait: Proud Warrior. Whenever possible, Death on Six Legs will bravely face down foes many times their size without hesitation.

ALL GLORY FOR HER MAJESTY KILLER QUEEN!

Control has switched to:
Death on Six Legs X1

>>36708
No food is left from the first monster: they devoured it whole!

>>36711
are your mandibles as big as its? if so, attempt to bite off its mouth before it can bite off yours.

Raw strength and skill will determine the victor this day.

Approach the monster with head high and mandibles open. When it is about to lunge, charge at it and lock pincers. Try to flip it over and snap it in half, or at least mangle the things own pincers as it jockeys for a better position.

>>36715
Death on Six Legs are still smaller than the monster, but that does not deter such Fearless and Proud Warriors!

Death on Six Legs dashes in even closer as the jaws come shut, striving to lock its jaws around the beast head and rend it asunder!

CRITICAL SUCCESS! The Death on Six Legs gains a large rent from its forehead all the way down its thorax, but is undeterred: its prize is in reach, and nothing will sway it from receiving righteous victory! Its jaws snap shut, cleaving the beasts head in twain, its massive jaws going limp in death.

The surrounding Death on Six Legs look upon this one, the first of their kind, and know what it is to feel respect.

!?!SECRET EVENT!?! One of your ants seems blessed by the stars, and can now be treated as an individual unit!

Please name the scarred Death on Six Legs

>>36720
I can't think of any song names that have scar in them

Scar tissue? by the red hot chili peppers?

I was gonna suggest calling it Quimby though, for the hell of it.

>>36724
While that would be very thematically aproppriate, the Name doesn't have to reference the scar, it just has to reference what the ant is: A fearless, proud warrior, ready to face any foe for the KILLER QUEEN, its ruler and creator, who faced down a type of beast that felled many of its brethren alone, and won.

>>36724
While that would be very thematically appropriate, the Name doesn't have to reference the scar, it just has to reference what the ant is: A fearless, proud warrior, ready to face any foe for the KILLER QUEEN, its ruler and creator, who faced down a type of beast that felled many of its brethren alone, and won.

>>36720
Sugar.

(Or, if something less saccharine is preferable, Alive.)

>>36720
Scars of Yesterday

>>36732
From this moment forth, Scars of Yesterday, the first Death on Six Legs, is born.

He eats the skull of the fallen monster as his spoils. He feels somewhat smarter!

Scars of Yesterday is now a Hero Ant, smarter and more capable than others of his breed. Other ants will follow his directions, so long as they do not conflict with any order from KILLER QUEEN.

Control has switched to:
Scars of Yesterday
Death on Six Legs X14 (under Scars of Yesterday's command)

!!NOTICE!! Scars of Yesterday, more attentive than his fellow Death on Six Legs, hears the buzzing stop.

Begin falling back to the nest. No telling what kind of attention the war party has aroused.

>>36735
aww.. but there's a Queen song called simply "The Hero"

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)21:30 No. 36741 ID: 6164e0
File 125177941512.jpg - (71.17KB , 450x600 , Pit Flier.jpg )

>>36738
Scars of Yesterday orders the other Death on Six Legs to fall back, bringing the food with them.

As they flee, a new Buzzing noise, deeper and louder than the norm, can be heard. Sparing a quick glance back, Scars of Yesterday sees a giant in the sky.

The flying giant lands at the pits, and a deep sound, a sorrow and rage filled knell, fills the air. The giant returns to the sky, and turns towards the fleeing ants. The giant can fly swiftly, and it is doubtful that it will cease chasing the ants.

What actions should Scars of Yesterday and the other Death on Six Legs take?

>>36743
fell a flower on it!

>>36743
Take no shit. Go for the wings.

>>36744
The flowers are massive, and it would take time to cut one down.

>>36745
The giant has a wingspan of 80mm, and a body length of 65mm. It head is larger than the entire body of a Death on Six Legs. You are not sure how to get at its wings while it is in the air.

The giant grows closer. The Crescent is now visible, but as things are, the giant will catch your party before it can reach the hive. It would need to be stalled somehow for the ants to reach the colony before it is upon them.

Orders?

>>36747
PROTIP: dragonflies can't fold their wings. They can only flap them! If we can get to a place where the wings could not fit, it would be forced to either give up or sacrifice its aerial advantage.

Split into three groups and scramble for cover. Whichever group the thing focuses on should find some kind of underbrush to hide in. Meanwhile the other two should hurry back to the nest to sound the alarm.

>>36748
And where do you propose to find such a place in the open ground near the entrance to the Crescent?

>>36748
This. Can we dig in anywhere quickly? Mayhaps we can lay a trap for it where it cant get us.
It threatens us, and must be destroyed.

>>36751
Death on Six Legs are specialized warriors. There is no way for them to dig a suitable cover before it reaches them.


>>36749
While there is no shelter above ground, the Crescent would prove ample shelter against the giant.

Scars of Yesterday orders the group to split into three groups.

Scars of Yesterday and Four Death on Six Legs, carrying monster carcass, heading to entrance of Crescent

Five Death on Six Legs, heading to one of the alternate entrances.

Five Death on Six Legs, heading to the other alternate entrance.

The giant seems to be pursuing Scar of Yesterday's party! They will not reach the entrance before it is upon them!

Orders?

>>36754
It seems to be after the corpse!
Everyone, hide under it until he's in the sky, then climb onto his wings and destroy them!

>>36761
Scars of Yesterday and the four other Death on Six legs with him let the carcass drop, and quickly scuttle beneath it, waiting for the giant to come.

The giant descends, and with a loud thump, is on the ground, making the same anguish and hatred filled noise as before. It grabs hold of the carcass.

Scars of Yesterday and the four Death on Six Legs swarm around the carcass, trying to crawl onto the giant.

But despite its size, it consumes two Death on Six Legs whole. If it weren't for the Fearless Unity trait they still possess from their start as Merciless, Scars of Yesterday and the two remaining Death on Six Legs might have hesitated.

But they are not normal ants. They are soldiers, fighters by design and by action, honed to never stop, to spend every bit of life they have to defend the hive.

Scars of Yesterday and the two Death on Six Legs make it past the giant's maw, and start crawling towards the giant's wings, determined to forever lock it on the ground.

Realizing that something is amiss, the giant takes to the sky carrying the carcass and its unwanted passengers. It starts flying about at high speed, quickly daring about in an attempt to throw off its assailants.

One particularly sharp turn hurls the two Death on Six Legs off the giant's back. At this height and speed, it is unknown where they will land, and unlikely they will survive.

But Scars of Yesterday is not so easily thwarted. He may be new to having a mind of his own, but he knows what is important: Duty. No matter what, he must keep this creature from attacking Crescent. He must keep KILLER QUEEN safe. He would die for his queen. He bites deeply into the giant's side, eliciting a cry of pain. The giant flies higher and higher, trying to shake Scars of Yesterday off.

But his dedication is too great. No matter how the creature moves, he hangs on with dogged determination, doing everything he can to best it.

He has no real chance, the giant is so enormous that all he can do is cause it pain. And at the speeds they are moving, he cannot move to the wings. So he continues biting, continues hurting the giant. And it spirals higher and higher, trying to shake off the dutiful defender of the colony.

The giant and its passenger vanish in the vast heights of the sky as the hive is alerted to the threat and pours out to defend itself, only to find the threat removed, thanks to ever loyal Scars of Yesterday.

How do I shot trip?!H508X.HbJ6 2009/08/31(Mon)22:28 No. 36768 ID: 6faa8c
File 125178292469.png - (37.53KB , 600x400 , 1247383680591.png )

>>36765
Erm.

Well.

I'm sorry guys!
Still, manly tear for those I killed off.

Man... he's totally going to come back in our darkest hour and rally our troops with tales of fearless duty and strange beasts and the long journey taken to get home.

>He has no real chance

Slander and defeatism! bite over and over in the same place, working to enlarge the holes and work deeper. Eventually it will sever something important.
Yours are the mandibles that will pierce the dragonfly!

??
Object observable in the sky!

the carcass of the sand monster drops from the sky, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Control has switched back to KILLER QUEEN and her offspring.

Action?

>>36771
Take the carcass quickly.

Make tiny shrine to Scars.

>>36772
The carcass is dragged inside, and KILLER QUEEN is made aware of the trans-formative properties it has on The Merciless. There seems to be enough to feed 15 Merciless, should you choose.

In the middle of the Crescent, right in front of the hive, the ten surviving Death on Six legs drag a great piece of wood, easily more than an inch tall.

KILLER QUEEN exits the underground of Crescent, and gazes upon the wood as the Death on Six Legs roughly cut into it, tearing chunks off.

Shortly, a crude figure of an Ant head, complete with a large rent trailing back, is now the centerpiece of Crescent.

KILLER QUEEN wishes she could have met Scars of Yesterday, even for a moment.

>>36770

Never give up. Never stop. Even if your limbs are shattered, your mandibles cracked, your exoskeleton broken, keep fighting. That is what a true warrior does. That is the creed of the Death on Six Legs. That is how legends are made.

Scars of Yesterday knows this well. He is the first of his kind, and he exists because he never wavered, never stopped. The foe may be daunting, but what more could a Proud Warrior hope for, than to fight a foe so much stronger?

Scars of Yesterday is wounded. His body is beginning to split along the scar from before, and he is losing internal fluids.

But he didn't stop biting. He didn't stop tearing. He didn't stop cutting a gore-choked hole into the giant, no matter how it resisted.

And he has been rewarded. The giant's wings slow. Their ascent stops. Scars of Yesterday feels the tissue and fluids around him cease throbbing: the beast has died.

For just a brief moment, Scars of Yesterday can see the world stretching out, alone in the sky. He can't even see Crescent. Seeing land stretch out farther and farther in every direction, the only thought he can put together is contentment, seeing the world so vast, knowing his queen will some day claim it all.

He regrets he can't help her achieve such a lofty goal, as both he and the giant begin to plummet back down to the cold and harsh earth.

A plume of smoke is accompanied by a fountain of gore, as the giant splits apart from the terrible force of the impact.


What action should KILLER QUEEN TAKE?

>>36775
Really? You think terminal velocity for an ant is enough to hurt it? Fuck that. Get back up. We've earned this kill and damned if we aint bringing it home with us.

Create another squad of Death on Sex Legs from the carcass that Scars of Yesterday valiantly fought for. If the body of the great flying beast can be found and salvaged, the original squad should be allowed to consume what remains, to honor their fallen leader's sacrifice.

>>36776
This is true.
A tick can fall from the empire state and not die, dude.

>>36776
Normally, falling wouldn't hurt an ant.

But when the ant is UNDER a dragonfly when it falls, that might change.

KILLER QUEEN, the ten Death on Six Legs and all the nearby Merciless advance on the fallen giant. It quickly become clear it will not move again. There is only one wound on its body that stands out, a gaping hole in the creatures side caked in gore.

Action?

>>36777
... But this in the interim, if Bob decides that Scars is truly dead.

>>36776
damn your physics! so what if the ant and the dragonfly were actually like eight feet off the ground and falling at a speed that would hardly bruise fruit. It was epic.

Find the corpse of our fallen. We shall preserve his corpse and someday defy death itself to bring it back to life.

>>36777
KILLER QUEEN has 15 of The Merciless that have been idle in Chamber 1 consume the carcass.

!!NOTICE!! 15 The Merciless have transformed into 15 Death on Six Legs.

KILLER QUEEN now commands 25 Death on Six Legs and 25 The Merciless as armed forces.

Before you can consume the Flying Giant, someone must get close enough to inspect it.

Also, it is unknown what effect consuming the Flying Giant will have on any strain of ant, let alone whether it is edible.

>>36783
Then send a single Six Legs and see if he lives through eating some, or even inspecting it.

>>36782

KILLER QUEEN would look upon Scars of Yesterday.

She advances to the giant's fallen form, heedless of danger. But even she feels dwarfed by the being before her.

KILLER QUEEN cannot see Scars of Yesterday anywhere, but she can smell his scent coming from the giant.

Actions?

>>36785

This
>>36784

Then have the nest rip apart the Giant into smaller chunks, carefully.

>>36779
Still shouldn't kill him, were it not for the fact that his exoskeleton was ruptured.

send sufficient warriors to shift the carcass and turn it over.

Well, something needs to take a bite. I'd say a six-legs.

>>36784
One of the Death on Six Legs, one of the ones to have fought alongside Scars of Yesterday, moves up beside KILLER QUEEN.

Both stand there for a moment, naught but their antenna moving. Not a sound can be heard.

And then the Death on Six Legs advances, grabbing some of the gore from the great rent in the giant's side.

Or at least, such the ants intent, but the body twitches.

Quickly the Death on Six legs places itself between KILLER QUEEN and the giant, mandibles akimbo, ready to fight.

The giant shifts, and the gaping ound in its side seethes as goo leaks out in a brutal cascade.

But then the Death on Six Legs stops, goes deathly still save for its antenna, waving wildly, frantically through the air.

The gore pile shifts again, and familiar scent drifts out......

And with the scent, a single command.

My................Foe..............Food............Mine

>>36791
Six Legs: salute, step back.
Let Killer Queen have some tasty monster too though.

>>36791
HE LIVES?!

Bob 2009/08/31(Mon)23:56 No. 36795 ID: 6164e0
File 125178817921.jpg - (75.08KB , 877x705 , The Hero Scars of Yesterday.jpg )

>>36792

It takes some time, but slowly, inexorably, the pile of gore shift, and a six legged form comes out, still chewing on some of the Giant's innards.

...the scent coming from the ant is the same, but Scar looks very different. He is much larger (12mm long, 5.5mm wide), and his carapace has hardened, the rent now healed over with a razor sharp cluster of spikes.

Scars of Yesterday, once the first Death on Six Legs, now The Hero, Scars of Yesterday, Giantslayer, emerges, shaking off the detritus of the giant, his eyes only for his queen.




Okay, I think I am going to stop there. I will probably do more tomorrow (not as much as today). Anyone with thoughts or suggestions on the quest can go to http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questdis/res/1816.html

Ok, KILLER QUEEN is getting ready to lay some eggs, but first two things:

How many eggs/what loadout of strains should be produced?

As it is, you do not have enough Leaf based food to feed everyone, please designate what food should be eaten by what. This is the food KILLER QUEEN has right now:

25 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)
375 units of Concentrated Nutrients (Quality unknown, food has not been sampled)
180 units of Black Dragonfly (Quality unknown, food has not been sampled)

>>36835
concentrated nutrients should be distributed among the larvae, seeing as it has the highest chance, in my mind, of being just a straight up nutritional slurry.

The giant should be sampled by our second tier and first tier warriors- I don't really expect a mutation, but there's so much it has to be fooded. have some tier 1 warriors and fat bottomed ladies eat the doodlebug, I wanna see if the worker castes get mutated via strange meats or if they get mutated via strange plants.

Also, STILL not enough food for everyone? jesus christ, this next batch should be mostly fat bottomed ladies then. as much as possible.

>>36837
Not enough Leaf based food. That means we have to eat bug-based food and slurry.

But more Fat-bottomed girls does sound like a good idea.

>>36837
1: The sand monster carcasses have both been devoured in their entirety, leaving you with 25 total Death on Six Legs.

2: You aren't running out of food (you can feed everyone and still have a decent chunk of food left), but since the gathering method has changed, you no longer bring in more leaves, instead Fat Bottomed Girls assigned to collecting food eat the food on site and bring it back exclusively as nutrient.

Order change: larva feed from the Concentrated Nutrients when possible.

Order change: The Hero Scars of Yesterday, Death on Six Legs and The Merciless switched to consuming the fallen giant for the next time stamp.

What should KILLER QUEEN and Fat Bottomed Girls eat at the next checkpoint? Remember, you have 25 leaves left, and KILLER QUEEN needs 25 units of food every 30 minutes currently.

!!NOTICE!!The Hero Scars of Yesterday has become an elite hero unit. In addition to now being directly controllable, he now requires 5 food every hour due to his increased size and faster metabolism.

Also, specifics on the number of eggs/strains used are needed.

>>36841
I say 75 fat bottomed, 25 merciless.

Also, we DO have more than just the leaves for killer queen, right? I feel like she should get something... better. if there's anything else, have her eat that, and have the hero join in. maybe the slurry?

>>36843
KILLER QUEEN can eat whatever you want. I was simply observing we have exactly enough leaves to feed her this time.


So, maximum eggs possible, 75 Fat Bottomed Girls, 25 The Merciless. Does that sound acceptable?

Sounds good to me. When the quest starts up again, we should focus on building up the food stores and building the nest.
The warriors also need to finish their scouting - 15 Merciless and 5 D6L's should be fine.

>>36844
sounds good. and give the queen some slurry, it's all pre-digested and good.

when's the quest start again?

>>36846
Egg load out confirmed.

time will advance imminently.
>>36849
Shortly. Making sure I have number right and everything. Big post soon.

Queen should eat the dragonfly too.

Bob 2009/09/01(Tue)10:07 No. 36853 ID: 6164e0
File 125182487445.jpg - (22.62KB , 613x871 , Basic Colony 5.jpg )

CRESCENT COLONY AGE: 2.0 HOURS

TOTALS:
1 KILLER QUEEN
1 The Hero Scars of Yesterday
25 Death on Six Legs
50 The Merciless
175 Fat Bottomed Girls


STATUS:
KILLER QUEEN: Sated (does not need food until hour 3), can produce more eggs

The Hero Scars of Yesterday: Sated (needs 5 units of food in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

Death on Six Legs:
-25 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or will become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

The Merciless:
-5 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Patrolling Crescent.
-10 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Guarding Fat Bottomed Girls resource gathering.
-10 Sated (will need to feed in 1 hour or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

Fat Bottomed Girls:
-25 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 3
-25 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Expanding Colony
-25 Sated (self-feeding), consuming yellow flower leaves and returning at 15 units of Concentrated Nutrients
-25 Sated (will need to feed in the next 30 minutes or become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1
-100 Sated (will need feeding in 2 hours or will become Lethargic), Idle in Chamber 1

FOOD:
25 units of Yellow Flower Leaf (Quality: 1/10)
45 units of Nest Robber Centipede (Quality: 3/10)
175 units of Black Dragonfly (Quality: 3/10)
375 units of Concentrated Nutrients (Quality: 4/10)

Storage:
Chamber 1 current maximum capacity: 300 points (300/300 used)
Chamber 2 current maximum capacity: 400 points (245/400 used)
Chamber 3 current maximum capacity: 300 points (300/300 used)
Chamber 4 current maximum capacity: 150 points (0/150 used)
(KILLER QUEEN is worth 10 points, The Hero Scars of Yesterday is worth 5 points, Death on Six Legs are worth 2 points, The Merciless and Fat Bottomed Girls are worth 1 point. Food is 1 point per unit of food)

!!NOTICE!!The Concentrated Nutrients seem extra nutritious! Any ant that eats this food can go twice as long before it needs to feed again.
!!NOTICE!! Construction on Chamber 4 has progressed enough it can be used to store things.
!!NOTICE!!Crescent is running out of room! New expansion plans must be drafted!

ASSESSING UPGRADES EARNED.

First Hero Unit: 1 upgrade
Found tasty new food: Sand Monster Ant Lion: 1 upgrade
Found tasty new food: Flying Giant Black Dragonfly: 1 upgrade
Found tasty new food: Concentrated Nutrients: 1 upgrade

You have earned: 4 total upgrades.

Please spend upgrades on the following:

Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain Lv2.
Improve The Merciless Strain.
Create New Ant Strain
Create Specialty Strain: Trap Ant (A strain that mimics the sand monster, self feeds) (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES)
Make Death on Six Legs a normal Strain (makes it upgradeable, lets KILLER QUEEN lay eggs) (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES, d20 rolled, must beat 14)
Upgrade Exoskeletons
Upgrade Mandible Quality
Upgrade Intelligence
Specialize KILLER QUEEN (choose either attack, defense, harvesting, digging or mobility) (can specialize multiple times, and stack upgrades)
Gift KILLER QUEEN Poison Trait to The Hero Scars of Yesterday

The first options to get 3 votes are chosen.

>>36853
upgrade intelligence
upgrade exoskeleton
new strain

have all the ants that need feeding in 30 minutes eat nutrient.

assign 150 fat bottoms to expanding colony
dig 2 more chambers below chamber 4 in a "/\" shape and 2 more below each of those.

assign 20 fat bottoms to leaf eating to 15 and returning

assign all merciless to guarding the gathering fat bottoms.

assign 10 DO6L to biting through the stem of a stripped flower
and 30 fat bottoms to carry it back

remaining DO6L on guard duty in colony with Scars of Yesterday

>>36854
You didn't say what you want the fourth upgrade on.

Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain Lv2.
Create New Ant Strain - Mobility
Upgrade Mandible Quality
Upgrade Exoskeletons

Set all ants to feed automatically 30 minutes before becoming lethargic.

Have 15 of the idle Death on Six Legs continue scouting around the rock. The other ten should join the the 10 idle Merciless in guarding Fat Bottomed Girls resource gathering.

50 idle Fat Bottomed Girls should assist in expanding the colony, while the remaining 100 should gather more resources, with an emphasis in locating any new sources of food.
Have 25 of them try collecting nectar from the flowers.

>>36855
uhh, upgrade fat bottoms

>>36854
>>36856
Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain Lv2. 2
Improve The Merciless Strain.
Create New Ant Strain 2
Create Specialty Strain: Trap Ant (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES)
Make Death on Six Legs a normal Strain (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES)
Upgrade Exoskeletons 2
Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Upgrade Intelligence 1
Specialize KILLER QUEEN
Gift KILLER GUEEN Poison Trait to the Hero Scars of Yesterday

Suggestion 2009/09/01(Tue)10:30 No. 36859 ID: 06fc25
File 125182624449.jpg - (30.35KB , 613x871 , 125182487445.jpg )

>>36854

Like this? Not sure what to use the rooms for, but I'm sure we can come up with something.

Still waiting on more people to say what upgrades should be taken.

>>36859
This is a workable floor plan. Queen uses chamber 6 for egg laying, higher quality food stored deeper.

Upgrade fat bottoms
Improve exoskeleton
create scout strain
Gift hero with poison

>>36861
Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain Lv2. 3 CHOSEN
Improve The Merciless Strain.
Create New Ant Strain 3 CHOSEN
Create Specialty Strain: Trap Ant (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES)
Make Death on Six Legs a normal Strain (REQUIRES 2 UPGRADES)
Upgrade Exoskeletons 3 CHOSEN
Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Upgrade Intelligence 1
Specialize KILLER QUEEN
Gift KILLER QUEEN Poison Trait to the Hero Scars of Yesterday 1

>>36856

I'm not especially attached to Upgrade Mandible Quality, so if someone else votes for Upgrade Intelligence or Hero Poison I'll support it.

Upgrade Mandible Quality 1
Upgrade Intelligence 1
Gift KILLER QUEEN Poison Trait to the Hero Scars of Yesterday 1

Each of these upgrades have been picked once, and only one more upgrade can be made.

Which upgrade should be taken?

>>36864
Devote one to the trap ants (Voting for Crying Game on the name).

>>36863
Next person to vote for either Intelligence or to gift Poison to Scars of Yesterday decides the fourth upgrade.

Voting is now open even to those who already voted

Choose between Raising Intelligence or gifting Poison to Scars of Yesterday.

>>36871
Intelligence.

>>36871
I vote intelligence too.

Improve Fat Bottomed Girls Strain Lv2. CHOSEN
Create New Ant Strain CHOSEN
Upgrade Exoskeletons CHOSEN
Upgrade Intelligence CHOSEN

Fat Bottomed Girls are now stronger! They can carry up to 30 units of food before being slowed, and can cut through tougher materials with their mandibles. They can now dig through compacted clay soil at the same speed they dig through normal dirt, and can now tunnel into soft woods at a slow rate!

All Ants have a stronger carapace! All ants are more durable now!

All ants become more intelligent! Ants can appraise unknown object to get a good guess as to whether they can safely eat it! Ants now understand cause and effect! You chance of creating further Hero units is improved!

KILLER QUEEN is more adept at making new breeds of ants, she can now more finely control what kind of breed she makes!


jack of all trades
focus on movement speed
focus on jumping ability
focus on agile combatants
focus on durable combatants
focus on digging/harvesting
focus on digging
focus on harvesting
roll a 1d30 (1 being the worst, 30 being awesome) to try and randomly make the new (Only a roll of one will create a negative trait that randomly manifests, all other rolls create a strain of varying quality)


You can now place as many of the following restrictions as desired on new ant strains to further improve them:

-Each egg takes 5x as much effort to lay
-Larva needs multiple feedings and more time to mature
-Diet restricted to fauna only
-Diet restricted to foods of a minimum quality level.


The more restrictions you stack on a new breed, the better it gets (cannot apply restrictions to randomly generated new strains)

I envision a group of expendable scout ants able to explore great distances and probably forage for food in the field. I am unsure if this job description should make them straight movement speed, or agile combatants. Others have thoughts?

Bob 2009/09/01(Tue)12:21 No. 36880 ID: 6164e0
File 12518329158.jpg - (74.55KB , 980x705 , The Hero Scars of Yesterday Clean.jpg )

!!NOTICE!! The Hero Scars of Yesterday has now been cleaned of giant's ichor from his fight with the giant! He shines with an awesome light that tells him to defeat KILLER QUEEN's foes!

The Hero Scars of Yesterday has gained the following Trait: Shining Light! Scars of Yesterday is now much more visible to foes, but can also rally troops with his presence! His Carapace is particularly slick, and he is more difficult to grapple!

!!NOTICE!! The Hero Scars of Yesterday has gained the Talent Stoner Sunshine! In exchange for becoming lethargic and deactivating Shining Light until no longer Lethargic, Scars of Yesterday can snap his mandibles at incredible speeds, creating a shock wave that is more damaging the closer his opponent is! (think pistol shrimp shrunk down)

>>36877
hold off making the new strain until we get that flower. if it's worth it, we can make jumper-gatherers, and if it isn't, we can make something else.

>>36879
Agile doesn't mean fast. It means able to dodge, duck, and weave (most likely so as to close the distance to a target without being killed). Speed (in running) is another thing altogether.

Go with movement speed. Scouting should be rather useful considering there are apparently nifty things we can find in the area through exploration.

>>36881
The new strain must be developed before time can continue advancing. Upgrades/new strains must be applied immediately upon purchase.

>>36882

Yeah, we should have the scouts focus on movement speed. I would also add the restrictions -Each egg takes 5x as much effort to lay and Larva needs multiple feedings and more time to mature.

Sure, it will consume more resources and take time, but we can get all Speedy Gonzalez in here.

>>36884
See if we can get gliding wings, too.
At the very least.

Eh, forget combat capability. Name scout strain "Who Wants to Live Forever" and optimize for speed. Those restrictions seem fine too. Avoid the ones about eating, as the scouts need to be able to consume whatever is available in the field.

>>36884
That would create high quality scouts, but not high quantity. We have to decide between large numbers of expendable ants that we don't have to worry about losing, or a smaller number of more competent ants who will get the job done faster.

Personally I say settle for some of both. Take only the restriction 'needs more food and time to hatch.'

Or... and perhaps this is a bit questionable on the ethics... but we could take the two food restrictions, create a large group of relatively high quality ants, then send them out to scout and return before they die of starvation. Good quality and literally expendable.

>>36882
I didn't say nifty things.

I said 'Interesting' things. Notice the ominous quotes.

But yes, increased risk usually means increased rewards.

>>36887
They would still need to be fed sufficiently to transform from larva to adults.

But yes, that is a viable option.

>>36887
it IS worth noting that the lowest quality food source we have is simple plant leaves, so both food restrictions are easily met within the local zone at least.
I'm curious what qualifies as low quality food for the purposes of the restriction though. Being unable to consume concentrated nutrient slurry would be inconvenient.

>>36885

You do not currently have the capacity to evolve wings. You can gain that capacity later.

>>36882
>>36884
>>36887
Okay, it seems that a focus on speedy movement is desired to make some scouts.

What kind of restrictions should be applied?

>>36890
The food quality restriction is modular, and arguably the most potent restriction.

An ant can be restricted to eating foods of a certain minimum quality, such as 2/10 quality, or if so chosen 10/10 quality.

You can only restrict ants to quality levels that have been sampled at least once. That would mean that currently, the highest food restriction you can place is 4/10

Still need someone to specify exactly what restriction (if any) to apply to the new breed focused on speedy movement.

>>36884
>>36886
There were two people saying 5x effort and extra feedings. My guess is that the silence here is because nobody is quite decided on the strategic implications of any of this, so lets just go with that combination and get things moving again.

>>36896
Okay.

How many extra feedings do you want the restriction to entail (each additional feeding means it take another 30 minutes for the strain to mature)

>>36897
Let's say three or four.
We should further build our position here, and more time means more improvements.
I suggest improved scent trails and more sensory organs on the scouts.

>My guess is that the silence here is because nobody is quite decided on the strategic implications of any of this

Pretty much.

Anyway, I like to be daring so I'll go ahead and say five extra feedings. Sure, it's two and a half hours of nothing, but if we end up with scouts that are nigh impossible to catch I think it's a net gain.

Bob 2009/09/01(Tue)13:29 No. 36904 ID: 6164e0
File 125183694043.jpg - (37.73KB , 450x295 , Speedy Gonzalez Ant.jpg )

>>36900
New ant strain created!

Size: 7mm long, 7mm wide, 3mm tall (nearly all leg)

These ants are incredibly fast, outrunning almost all other land based insect.

They have advanced vision, and are able to see farther than normal ants.

They can sense tremors in the ground, and can tell if there are creatures underground (as long as the creatures move about)

They can leave complex scent trails, and even if killed before able to return to the hive, everything they discovered will be documented on their scent trail.

Due to their quality, they are as capable at combat as The Merciless.


These ants need to be fed four times as larva to mature, and take 2 hours to mature.

These ants are exhausting to create, and need five eggs worth of energy from KILLER QUEEN to produce.

What name should these ants be given?

>>36904
Speedy Gonzalez, what else?

>>36904
'Flash', perhaps?

NEED A DISPENSER HERE

I've ended up naming a few already, so I'll pass on this.

>These ants are exhausting to create, and need five eggs worth of energy from KILLER QUEEN to produce.

So does this mean the KILLER QUEEN has to eat five times as much, that she can only create 20 of them at a time, or both?

>>36905
Thats not a Queen song. Heck, I don't even think thats a song at all.

>>36906
Ugh, how could I miss this one? Yes please.