From the basic setting, this game looked like a must-win. The apes with a decent tech lead shouldn't be a problem, right? ;-)
I decided to send the colship to Vox in order to push North. The scouts went to the farthest systems and the usual waves of scouts left Sol's spaceyards.
2313 Chasing a Klackon scout away from Hyades (green Ocean system Northwest of Vox). So they bugs must have started at one of the yellow stars to the left.
2314 Chasing a Klackon Colship away from Hyades. Is the competition already heating up? I decided to open up the initial tech fields, i.e. construction, planetology and propusion. The choice was RIW 80%, IER over almost all early green techs being available and range 4. Seeding IER as usual.
2317 Chasing a Sili scout away at Herculis (the red poor Steppe size 50 east of Rhilus). So one of the two least favorable neighbors are already putting pressure on our future core planets! BTW, the south half of our core ring consisted of three poor/up red planets...
2320 Bugs checking Hyades, again. This time with 2 colships. I am tempted to send a bigger orbit patrol there, but try to halt still due to my bad decisions in the last RBO game.
2324 Sol maxed. range 4 in percentages.
2330 Range 4 finally pops. Nuclear engines as new option, but I decided to go back to range 5 in order to occupy more early terrain. I already had two LR Lasers in orbit of Hyades. The first colship and 17 lasers were on their way to Keeta (red bridge system northwest of Vox).
2332 Scout updates on Tyr (inferno rich beauty north of Kronos (second green system east of Hyades) and Neptunus (red star toxic 20 deep in the southwest)
2334 scout updates on red Uxmai (radiated 20) and violette Drakka (toxic 20), both located in the East where the rocks supposely reside.
2335 Our scouts arrive at the heavy fortressed Klackon homeworld being positioned as expected.
2336 Visiting Nazin north of Kholdan (weird start for both of them)
2337 IER finally researched. IT+20 next.
2338 Silis are up to 6 systems and our colship arrives at Hyades! First contact with both the weak Bugs and Shifters. So far they have been sitting around as lame ducks.
2339 Chasing away a Sili colship from Mobas (red minimal in the Northeast). Visiting Meklon east of the gread Nebula. As I said just a weird start for the AI.
2340 Colonizing Kronos.
2341 Colonizing Rhilus and also winning the compulsary space combat in Hyades' Orbit against the Bugs.
2344 A brave scouts visits Ursa which is also located close to the Bugs. To be precise southwest of Kholdan. Additionally in the news: the greedy apes colonise Seidon which brings us in contact with the rocks. Strangely, they have grabbed any more systems and seem to be playing rather defensive.
2347 Colonizing Herculis .
2348 Time for another short strategic analysis: range 5 is in the percentages and I had a decent landgrab so far. If I am able to close the last holes in my border ring, the game will be almost won and I could concentrate on maximising trade.
[attachment=582]
2351 Range 5 pops, nuclear engines next and desperately needed due to the large-stretched empire. Also opening up computer tech (DSS over ECM 1) and weapons for Hyper V.First contact with Meklars who weren't a real threat at this point.
2353 Colonizing Mobas, researching RIW 80% with IIT8 next. A lonely scout dies at Orion, located west of the Meklon Nebula.
2355 Colonizing Beta Ceti and maxing all trade agreements to 125 BC. So far it was a very peaceful game as it suits the humans well.
2357 Scout reports on Rigel (blue steppe 55 SW of Beta Ceti) come in.
2359 Colonizing Vega + Firma which resulted in the second expansion warning for the lousy humans! It's been a while to have 12 systems that early. ;-)
[attachment=583]
2367 The downside: Vox maxed as only the second planet. A scout reveals the ultra rich Barren 40 Arietis - maybe the price of this game! Unfortunately, it sits in the small Nebula next to the Rocks. I wonder what they were doing to not having grabbed the system. Once again, a quite unusual game.
2369 IT+20 pops, Barren next in order to grab the rich barren pearl.
2371 The Sili's Vulcan went super nova. The AI often has problems to handle special events... Hyper V pops as well, the beloved NPG is next.
2373 Rocks' colships now have rockets. HAHAHAHA!
2377 Jinga (Arid poor 55) is scouted in the left corner. Barren pops. After a long thought I went for dead next and delay toxic further. Sol started to build the colship for Arietis.
2378 Celtsi is colonized triggering the first council vote. Of course it is the Silis against us. 'Loks, Bears, Bugs and 'Klars all abstain with 2 votes each. Silis vote for themselves with 5 and I gifted them our 8 votes in order to boost relations. Looks like it is no longer about whether to win, just when...
2382 IRC III popped, improved scanners next.
2384 NPG is researched and merculites are next. Good Timing: sublight-drives also come in, range 8 next. What a decent tech tree so far! The spaceyards started to work on the infamous NPG 3 featuring our best engines and weapons. Also in the news: Colonizing Arietis, the future center of the fleet construction, and the Silis show up with their first expansion warning. I know that I stole one of "your" worlds. ;-)
2386 Popping dead and IIT 8.
2390 Colonizing Dunatis. The constant expansion efforts result in deterioting relations with the AI races. Gotta be careful to not risking the juicy trade agreements...
2393 Superimportant spy hit on Bugs: BCIII which nivelates computer tech.
2395 Grunty Bears declare on us with *coughing* no obvious reason. They are allied with the Shifters so I have to prevent them from being dragged into this war.
2396 Arietis maxed and shifted production to planetary reserve spending for other young systems and NPG 3s.
2397 Whynil colonized. "Yes, my AI friends, we will stop expanding soon when we're done."
2399 Toxic pops and radiated next. It was also time for the second council vote with no big surprises. Silis up to 8 votes against us. Bears jumping on their bandwagon with meager two votes, Meklars supporting us with 3 votes (have they learned from their interdimensional defeats?), Bugs and 'Loks abstaining. We too with 13 strong votes.
At this point I got a little bit bored from the game. Everything was running too smooth, hence I decided to end the game with the next vote. The route to victory was clear: Grab the remaining systems and maxing both pop & trades.
2401 ISC pop. Colonizing Draconis and receiving third expansion warning = up to 18 planets.
2402 Colonyzing Tyr (rich planet next to Meklon) and Selia.
2403 Colonizing Neptunus and popping merculites. The Neutron Blaster was next. Also receiving expansion warning from Rocks and Machines. "Yes, our highly valued friends, we will stop expanding soon and could you please sign the newest trade agreements here and there?"
2404 Colonizing Obaca and landing troops at Jinga. Somehow the Bears managed to settle it earlier, but all fured parasites were hunted down. BTW, incoming fourth expansion warning!
2406 Colonizing Drakka.
2408 Whynil becomes radiated.
2414 Tyr, the second rich world, was maxed. Radiated popped resulting in an expansion warning from all races!
2417 Colonizing Argus. The Bears discover a relict and were in such a good mood to offer us peace that we happily accepted. "If you could claw ehm sign this accompanying trade agreement".
2418 Colonizing Uxmai. IT+40 popped in order to secure our dipomatic victory. Meanwhile, the Silis send a decent fleet to Argus. The human starfleet won the space battle, but a small bomber fleet glaced our young colony.
2423 Recolonizing Argus.
2425 The inevitable and almost flawless diplomatic victory.
[attachment=584][attachment=585][attachment=586]
I didn't max trade as I should have, but oh well. DIPLOMATIC VICTORY with 786 trade in 2424. I'll calculate my score later.
I decided to send the colship to Vox in order to push North. The scouts went to the farthest systems and the usual waves of scouts left Sol's spaceyards.
2313 Chasing a Klackon scout away from Hyades (green Ocean system Northwest of Vox). So they bugs must have started at one of the yellow stars to the left.
2314 Chasing a Klackon Colship away from Hyades. Is the competition already heating up? I decided to open up the initial tech fields, i.e. construction, planetology and propusion. The choice was RIW 80%, IER over almost all early green techs being available and range 4. Seeding IER as usual.
2317 Chasing a Sili scout away at Herculis (the red poor Steppe size 50 east of Rhilus). So one of the two least favorable neighbors are already putting pressure on our future core planets! BTW, the south half of our core ring consisted of three poor/up red planets...
2320 Bugs checking Hyades, again. This time with 2 colships. I am tempted to send a bigger orbit patrol there, but try to halt still due to my bad decisions in the last RBO game.
2324 Sol maxed. range 4 in percentages.
2330 Range 4 finally pops. Nuclear engines as new option, but I decided to go back to range 5 in order to occupy more early terrain. I already had two LR Lasers in orbit of Hyades. The first colship and 17 lasers were on their way to Keeta (red bridge system northwest of Vox).
2332 Scout updates on Tyr (inferno rich beauty north of Kronos (second green system east of Hyades) and Neptunus (red star toxic 20 deep in the southwest)
2334 scout updates on red Uxmai (radiated 20) and violette Drakka (toxic 20), both located in the East where the rocks supposely reside.
2335 Our scouts arrive at the heavy fortressed Klackon homeworld being positioned as expected.
2336 Visiting Nazin north of Kholdan (weird start for both of them)
2337 IER finally researched. IT+20 next.
2338 Silis are up to 6 systems and our colship arrives at Hyades! First contact with both the weak Bugs and Shifters. So far they have been sitting around as lame ducks.
2339 Chasing away a Sili colship from Mobas (red minimal in the Northeast). Visiting Meklon east of the gread Nebula. As I said just a weird start for the AI.
2340 Colonizing Kronos.
2341 Colonizing Rhilus and also winning the compulsary space combat in Hyades' Orbit against the Bugs.
2344 A brave scouts visits Ursa which is also located close to the Bugs. To be precise southwest of Kholdan. Additionally in the news: the greedy apes colonise Seidon which brings us in contact with the rocks. Strangely, they have grabbed any more systems and seem to be playing rather defensive.
2347 Colonizing Herculis .
2348 Time for another short strategic analysis: range 5 is in the percentages and I had a decent landgrab so far. If I am able to close the last holes in my border ring, the game will be almost won and I could concentrate on maximising trade.
[attachment=582]
2351 Range 5 pops, nuclear engines next and desperately needed due to the large-stretched empire. Also opening up computer tech (DSS over ECM 1) and weapons for Hyper V.First contact with Meklars who weren't a real threat at this point.
2353 Colonizing Mobas, researching RIW 80% with IIT8 next. A lonely scout dies at Orion, located west of the Meklon Nebula.
2355 Colonizing Beta Ceti and maxing all trade agreements to 125 BC. So far it was a very peaceful game as it suits the humans well.
2357 Scout reports on Rigel (blue steppe 55 SW of Beta Ceti) come in.
2359 Colonizing Vega + Firma which resulted in the second expansion warning for the lousy humans! It's been a while to have 12 systems that early. ;-)
[attachment=583]
2367 The downside: Vox maxed as only the second planet. A scout reveals the ultra rich Barren 40 Arietis - maybe the price of this game! Unfortunately, it sits in the small Nebula next to the Rocks. I wonder what they were doing to not having grabbed the system. Once again, a quite unusual game.
2369 IT+20 pops, Barren next in order to grab the rich barren pearl.
2371 The Sili's Vulcan went super nova. The AI often has problems to handle special events... Hyper V pops as well, the beloved NPG is next.
2373 Rocks' colships now have rockets. HAHAHAHA!
2377 Jinga (Arid poor 55) is scouted in the left corner. Barren pops. After a long thought I went for dead next and delay toxic further. Sol started to build the colship for Arietis.
2378 Celtsi is colonized triggering the first council vote. Of course it is the Silis against us. 'Loks, Bears, Bugs and 'Klars all abstain with 2 votes each. Silis vote for themselves with 5 and I gifted them our 8 votes in order to boost relations. Looks like it is no longer about whether to win, just when...
2382 IRC III popped, improved scanners next.
2384 NPG is researched and merculites are next. Good Timing: sublight-drives also come in, range 8 next. What a decent tech tree so far! The spaceyards started to work on the infamous NPG 3 featuring our best engines and weapons. Also in the news: Colonizing Arietis, the future center of the fleet construction, and the Silis show up with their first expansion warning. I know that I stole one of "your" worlds. ;-)
2386 Popping dead and IIT 8.
2390 Colonizing Dunatis. The constant expansion efforts result in deterioting relations with the AI races. Gotta be careful to not risking the juicy trade agreements...
2393 Superimportant spy hit on Bugs: BCIII which nivelates computer tech.
2395 Grunty Bears declare on us with *coughing* no obvious reason. They are allied with the Shifters so I have to prevent them from being dragged into this war.
2396 Arietis maxed and shifted production to planetary reserve spending for other young systems and NPG 3s.
2397 Whynil colonized. "Yes, my AI friends, we will stop expanding soon when we're done."
2399 Toxic pops and radiated next. It was also time for the second council vote with no big surprises. Silis up to 8 votes against us. Bears jumping on their bandwagon with meager two votes, Meklars supporting us with 3 votes (have they learned from their interdimensional defeats?), Bugs and 'Loks abstaining. We too with 13 strong votes.
At this point I got a little bit bored from the game. Everything was running too smooth, hence I decided to end the game with the next vote. The route to victory was clear: Grab the remaining systems and maxing both pop & trades.
2401 ISC pop. Colonizing Draconis and receiving third expansion warning = up to 18 planets.
2402 Colonyzing Tyr (rich planet next to Meklon) and Selia.
2403 Colonizing Neptunus and popping merculites. The Neutron Blaster was next. Also receiving expansion warning from Rocks and Machines. "Yes, our highly valued friends, we will stop expanding soon and could you please sign the newest trade agreements here and there?"
2404 Colonizing Obaca and landing troops at Jinga. Somehow the Bears managed to settle it earlier, but all fured parasites were hunted down. BTW, incoming fourth expansion warning!
2406 Colonizing Drakka.
2408 Whynil becomes radiated.
2414 Tyr, the second rich world, was maxed. Radiated popped resulting in an expansion warning from all races!
2417 Colonizing Argus. The Bears discover a relict and were in such a good mood to offer us peace that we happily accepted. "If you could claw ehm sign this accompanying trade agreement".
2418 Colonizing Uxmai. IT+40 popped in order to secure our dipomatic victory. Meanwhile, the Silis send a decent fleet to Argus. The human starfleet won the space battle, but a small bomber fleet glaced our young colony.
2423 Recolonizing Argus.
2425 The inevitable and almost flawless diplomatic victory.
[attachment=584][attachment=585][attachment=586]
I didn't max trade as I should have, but oh well. DIPLOMATIC VICTORY with 786 trade in 2424. I'll calculate my score later.
