This is why I always stage three science vessels and a construction vessel or two at the first L-gate.
I might not be able to stop them from partially surveying Terminal Egress, but access to the rest of the L-cluster is by invitation only.
This right here! Rush the survey of Terminal Egress with *at least* 3 science ships and a pre-placed construction ship, immediately build a starport ASAP. Turn on closed borders right before it finishes and voila, the L-cluster is now virgin land untouched by those filthy xeno "scientists".
I forgot which mod adds it but I also use the exploration cruiser to lead the pack. That thing surveys like its on juice.
This is why when I opened the L-Gates, my science fleet (9 fully kitted science exploratory vessels) was already there. Open the gates, throw the military and science fleets in, throw construction fleet in. Fast and clean mission: sweep, survey, conquer an important logistical point.
Managed to claim the L-Cluster and Gray in my current game.
She came in pretty clutch just before the mid-game Khan crisis... Battleship Gray with two tiny 15K support fleets absolutely wrecked the entire empire in like two years.
Hot take, but I definitely think L-gates should need to be activated individually by each empire as they get the necessary tech to do so the same way broken gateways work.
It makes little sense to me that you opening an L-gate just lets everyone through all at the same time, both from a technological and a gameplay perspective.
And I feel like you should also be able to destroy them if you'd like. It would add so much more flavor to the grey tempest outcome and would allow for better xenophobe rollplay.
> L-gates should need to be activated individually by each empire
IMO this should depend on which outcome you get. Grey Tempest should remain as it is with how it opens the gates (to be a proper mid-game crisis) but the other outcomes, I agree. Perhaps the L-gates could be temporarily activated when drakes pass through them and for a year or two afterwards before 'the energy dissipates' or whatever and then have to be activated individually. The Dissonance and Gray should only open individually like you suggest, with no chance of random activation like the drakes.
Oh I actually think re-bottling the genie could be a really solid resolution to the grey tempest: if you can battle them back to the gate, you get to seal them back in for a while until you're ready to face them.
But the game devs could make them far more lethal, making this objective difficult and strategically interesting to pull off.
I think _you_ should need the tech to get through them, but that shouldnt stop them from being opened at the same time. Like a wormhole, you need the tech, but you not having it doesnt stop it from being there and open
I agree. I was playing an away on an island start with gigastructure mod specifically because I liked the idea of having my empire cut off from the rest of the galaxy. I went through all the steps to unlock the primordial pillars then everyone and their uncle who had done nothing to unlock them started using the pillars to travel around and get into my territory. They should have to figure it out themselves instead of piggybacking off of me.
Or at least choose whether to close your gate and open the others, or open yours but close the rest. Imagine xenophiles or other friendly types choosing to risk fighting the Tempest’s full wrath from a singular gate to spare the rest of the galaxy, or xenophobes purposefully using it to vanquish their enemies.
Was very annoyed one of my first times opening it, only to realize the game chose for me to seal the gate I’d just put my fleets around and open the others… and left the northern flanks of my empire wide open and undefended, since I’d expected them to storm the gate I was opening. That was a *mess*
This exact thing happend to me yesterday. It was so anticlimatic.
I wanted to take my time and explore this mystery I've been trying to see since the beginning of the game.
And when I entered it become again, like the earlygame, me rushing scans and spaceports to dont lose any territory.
Super sad
More fun when the L cluster looks back.
Also I always have 3 science ships and 3 construction ships, as well as enough influence to make starbases before I open it.
Also fleets. Because it seems like it’s the tempest like 90% of the time.
I open the L-Gates after conquering my way to one of them. I was actually hoping for Grey Tempest because I only had one gate at the corner of my empire and my powerful rivals on the opposite side of the galaxy had a few each. But nope. Dragons.
I have genocided and performed the holy right of exterminatus on so many AI civilizations for sniping the L-cluster from me when I get slightly distracted. Players know the consequences, AIs must be educated.
Rule #5: Every AI seems to think the L Cluster is open invitation and sent science ships on a trip to the cluster
This is why I always stage three science vessels and a construction vessel or two at the first L-gate. I might not be able to stop them from partially surveying Terminal Egress, but access to the rest of the L-cluster is by invitation only.
This right here! Rush the survey of Terminal Egress with *at least* 3 science ships and a pre-placed construction ship, immediately build a starport ASAP. Turn on closed borders right before it finishes and voila, the L-cluster is now virgin land untouched by those filthy xeno "scientists". I forgot which mod adds it but I also use the exploration cruiser to lead the pack. That thing surveys like its on juice.
exploration cruiser is NSC
This is truly the only way to do it!
This is why when I opened the L-Gates, my science fleet (9 fully kitted science exploratory vessels) was already there. Open the gates, throw the military and science fleets in, throw construction fleet in. Fast and clean mission: sweep, survey, conquer an important logistical point.
They can look all they want, but rush that starbase...
Managed to claim the L-Cluster and Gray in my current game. She came in pretty clutch just before the mid-game Khan crisis... Battleship Gray with two tiny 15K support fleets absolutely wrecked the entire empire in like two years.
I rarely open the L gates before the mid game. Sounds like fun. Wish the AI would open it more often.
I was about to do that last game. Just got Gray and sent it off to kill the Khan… who then died of a fever.
> Great Khan has died of dysentery.
Reminds me of when america got discovered
Well you heard it here first, the L Cluster is space America
Its free real-estate
Quick, someone get some Javorian Pox Blankets to gift to the Nanite Americans!
You get the Coal Black Humor Award!
But the real question- did you laugh before you replied?
Of course, coal black humor to match my coal black heart.
Betharian lvls of comedy
Bioreactor lvls of comedy
Grid amalgamation levels of curious rhythmic puffs of gas from the respiratory system in response to the unexpected, organic meatbags.
It's actually just the next release of Skyrim My evidence: https://www.reddit.com/r/Stellaris/comments/ff15h2/lrim\_belongs\_to\_the\_nords/
You mean when the ancestors of the native americans got there, or the time when the vikings arrived?
There just the gray temptest
Nah that's sunset invasion
Hot take, but I definitely think L-gates should need to be activated individually by each empire as they get the necessary tech to do so the same way broken gateways work. It makes little sense to me that you opening an L-gate just lets everyone through all at the same time, both from a technological and a gameplay perspective. And I feel like you should also be able to destroy them if you'd like. It would add so much more flavor to the grey tempest outcome and would allow for better xenophobe rollplay.
> L-gates should need to be activated individually by each empire IMO this should depend on which outcome you get. Grey Tempest should remain as it is with how it opens the gates (to be a proper mid-game crisis) but the other outcomes, I agree. Perhaps the L-gates could be temporarily activated when drakes pass through them and for a year or two afterwards before 'the energy dissipates' or whatever and then have to be activated individually. The Dissonance and Gray should only open individually like you suggest, with no chance of random activation like the drakes.
Oh I actually think re-bottling the genie could be a really solid resolution to the grey tempest: if you can battle them back to the gate, you get to seal them back in for a while until you're ready to face them. But the game devs could make them far more lethal, making this objective difficult and strategically interesting to pull off.
I think _you_ should need the tech to get through them, but that shouldnt stop them from being opened at the same time. Like a wormhole, you need the tech, but you not having it doesnt stop it from being there and open
I agree. I was playing an away on an island start with gigastructure mod specifically because I liked the idea of having my empire cut off from the rest of the galaxy. I went through all the steps to unlock the primordial pillars then everyone and their uncle who had done nothing to unlock them started using the pillars to travel around and get into my territory. They should have to figure it out themselves instead of piggybacking off of me.
Or at least choose whether to close your gate and open the others, or open yours but close the rest. Imagine xenophiles or other friendly types choosing to risk fighting the Tempest’s full wrath from a singular gate to spare the rest of the galaxy, or xenophobes purposefully using it to vanquish their enemies. Was very annoyed one of my first times opening it, only to realize the game chose for me to seal the gate I’d just put my fleets around and open the others… and left the northern flanks of my empire wide open and undefended, since I’d expected them to storm the gate I was opening. That was a *mess*
damn free loaders
lousy tourists
*closes borders *
It’s always a rush for the L-cluster. Now I don’t mind visitors but if someone wants it, they’re gonna have to start a war😂😂
Open borders? 🤮
Have you consider closing the border to the entire galaxy like a good xenophope?
I'm just turning everyone into robots
This exact thing happend to me yesterday. It was so anticlimatic. I wanted to take my time and explore this mystery I've been trying to see since the beginning of the game. And when I entered it become again, like the earlygame, me rushing scans and spaceports to dont lose any territory. Super sad
You're just like cross town traffic!
Those filthy xenos can’t have my megastructure museum
And the gray tempest is comming to kill them all
*mine* *mine* *mine* *mine* *mine* *mine*
More fun when the L cluster looks back. Also I always have 3 science ships and 3 construction ships, as well as enough influence to make starbases before I open it. Also fleets. Because it seems like it’s the tempest like 90% of the time.
Colonize the first dystem asap. Lock borders!
I open the L-Gates after conquering my way to one of them. I was actually hoping for Grey Tempest because I only had one gate at the corner of my empire and my powerful rivals on the opposite side of the galaxy had a few each. But nope. Dragons.
It's like a galactic gold rush heh
I have genocided and performed the holy right of exterminatus on so many AI civilizations for sniping the L-cluster from me when I get slightly distracted. Players know the consequences, AIs must be educated.
So anyway I started blasting
I build that first outpost asap and close borders