RBO: Imperium 11 Young Swarm - A Shadow Game

[KnTenshi]

I start up the game to find that I am in the southwestern corner. I have a yellow star to the southeast, a good chunk of dead space to the east, a thin strip of it to my north and small patch of stars I can safely call my own if I can block if off quickly. I've marked off this area in light blue.




I take a look at the other races.

Humans: These guys worry me. I've had a rash of early losses due to some race winning the FIRST election. With a little luck, the humans won't poses a giant threat to me if I can spread out fast enough. Heck, they'll make nice trading partners if they can be kept in check.

Psilons: Another strong race. These peace-loving brainiacs aren't as big a problem for me normally as they are for most people, though I tend to play smaller maps. These guys will be fun if I can get a computer tech led on them and start stealing.

Silicoids: As long as their range tech is low through most of the game, they aren't a problem.

Bulrathi: The Ground-Pound masters. These guys have never done much to me or anyone else, rarely forming any lasting relationships or building themselves up to be a galactic threat.

Ok, so three races that can run away if given half a chance. Maybe I can foster a war between the Psilons and the Humans to keep both under wraps. As long as the Silicoids aren't Xenophobic or a run away, I think I'll do my best to keep them as an ally. Bulrathi are too unpredictable to plan much of anything for them, I'll just roll with their punches.

Ok, planning over, I send the colony ship to the yellow star. I send one scout ship to the red star that makes up the boundary of what I consider my home territory to start blocking off my territory and one to the northern blue star to check out my opponents.

Three turns later, I found the UltraRich colony Maalor. What good luck! I'll wait until Kholdan is over 50 to start sending colonists its way. The next turn, my scout finds a large arid Mineral Poor planet. So this'll be a pop-based planet. This also marks the first colonist sent to Maalor.

As my colonists trickle to Maalor, my other scout finds the Barren Hostile Anraq. Four turns later, in 2309, I reach 10 factories a year on Kholdan, which is my milestone to begin building more scouts. I'll keep it at 10/yr until I fill out my local stars. Only four this round. After that, I'll pop one point into Colony Ship production until my planet fills out. I can't do that this turn, so I wait until the next. Oddly, I get to max factories for my current pop and actually have enough to build my four Scouts. They are built next turn and I send them to their destinations. Three turns later, my Scouts find a small arid planet, Omicron.

A couple turns later, I have another lucky find: an Artifacts world. It's of decent size too (65). I'll definitely hold onto this baby.



Since both of my planets are maxing their factories, I'll manually adjust their ECOs until they max out. Kholdan maxes size next turn and Maalor a few turns later. In 2320, I shift around Kholdan's production so it'll max out factories next turn and then go fully for a Colony Ship. I do the same with Maalor. The next turn, I shift around production a little more to start up research. Both planets will produce a Colony Ship in two turns. I drop Maalor to three turns so my other ship can extend the colony range and ship it to the next planet.

For Tech, I skip Ecm I for Deep Space Scanners, since I'm not any hurry for war right now but I'd like to see where every is. Only 80% reduced waste and Class II Deflectors. Wow, all the way up to Controlled Toxic! But I go for Improved Eco for now. Luckily, I have Range 5, as nothing is just 4 away. I go for Hand Lasers since, like I said, I don't plan on war so soon. I set weapons and force fields to one tick and equalized the rest. The next turn I send the newly built Colony Ship to Omicron and set Kholdan to full research. I do the same thing to Maalor the next year.

2329 gets me my fourth colony, the pop-colony Primordius. Right after, I get the report that the Silicoids have 6 planets. I start sending 3/yr to Primordius (how much Kholdan can grow a year). Both Deep Space Scanner and 80% pop next year. I go with ECM I and Improved Tech 8 and drop Comp research to one tick and equalize. Improved Eco comes next turn but mess up and go with Controlled Barren instead of Dead (forgot about the close by Dead).

In 2333, I set Maalor to pop a Colony ship out in three years so that when Range 5 pops, I've got one colony closer to being made. I'm aiming for the artifacts planet first, breaking my territory by a bit, but I think this warrants such a drastic change in plans. A couple of years later sees Range 5 come in, just in time for the colony, Nuke Engines next.



Oh! Look who I meet as I settle Artimus. It's a good thing I grabbed this sooner rather than later. Let’s look at what I'm up against.



:Jawdrop: The Psilons running a 2PE (Two Planet Empire). And such a stretched out one, too. The cursor is pointing at Mentar. Heh. Now I might just buddy up with the little brainiacs just to loot some techs down the line. Begin the Comp research! I dial up a spying so that I'll get one in next year.

2344 brings a new planet under my control, Barren Berel. I sign the smallest possible trade agreement with the Psilons, just to get some bonus without too much weight to my economy. They also get two now colony.

The next year bring these, in this order. "Hello, Silicoid scout. Bye Silicoid Scout." "Hello, Bulrathi Scout. Bye Bulrathi Scout." "Hello, Guardian. What's that big, pretty light?" "Houston, we have Nuke Engines! Starting up a way to keep our ships stable."

A few years later, my spy finally learns what the Psilons have: Improved Tech 9 and Duralloy Alloy. Two turns later, the Bulrathi show some abnormally quick aggression by taking the nearby Psilon colony, swapping contacts. This is odd as they had an alliance. That ended the next turn.

I meet the Silicoids a few turns later as I'm spreading out. As I settle my tenth planet, the vote begins. It's me versus the Bulrathi. Humans and Silicoids abstain. The Psilons vote for the BULRATHI! What are they smoking?!? I abstain.

The Silicoids and I are having a small arms race to see how can grab the most planets. They grabbed their twelfth a turn before I do. This just forces me to grab those northern planets they keep trying to scout. The Silicoids get a little miffed that someone else can keep up with them in a land grab, so they declare war. Begin Operation Weaponize! I shift research from Planetology to Weapons and tell my spies to Espionage. The next turn sees, of all people, the Psilons also declare war. Ah, they are in an early alliance with the Silicoids.

The Bulrathi send a single fighter out to take out my scout at Cirus. I think nothing of it until I notice the Bulrathi troops transport chasing right behind it! Freaking Bulrathi are going to steal a new colony on a Terran Planet! Though the planet can't be saved, I will spoil the Bulrathi's little picnic just like the ants we are. Especially since my weapons and propulsion just popped. Say hello to some speedy little Gatling lasers!

[KnTenshi]

The next turn sees me meeting the Humans. I can now see just how the galaxy is carved up. I've recolored the Bulrathi Flags red to both so I can tell them apart from the Silicoids, and to paint a bull’s-eye on each and every one of their colonies.



I reach the 2375 point. I cast 7 votes (21 points). I hold 12 planets (36 points). Total 57 points.
Research goes 12 + 11 + 4 + 11 + 11 + 6 = 55 points
Relaxed and Hate = 12 points. Unfortunately, I read later that I need to take screenshots to prove this. Heh, that would have been easier than hopping back and forth between programs. Ah well. Live and learn. The total is 124.

As I recapture Cirus, and experience the horrors of ground wars with the Bulrathi, I get the notice that the humans found a derelict. Crud! I forgot to turn off Events this time, I hope that won't force me to post this as a shadow game. I get to see everyone in hte galaxy and am somehow still at war with the Silicoids and Psilons. I ask the Psilons to make peace with me, which they grant as well as the smallest trade deal.

The humans decide to war with me some turns later out of the blue. I smell a conspiracy against me. In 2393, the Bulrathi ask for peace. I don't want this until I take their other outreaching colony. I hope this won't hold me back too much later on. Later, when I find out that I can't punch through their planets' shielding, I dial them up and ask for peace.

I lose contact with the Psilons. I think nothing of it until I search to see where their nearest colony is. Where's Mentar? There is now a blank yellow star out in the middle of space. Not good for the brains!

Turns pass, and the galaxy marches on. It seems that outside of Humans, I can't keep peace for long as the Silicoids war with me again. I'm the freaking tech leader of the known universe. One more war I will just forsake the diplomatic part of the triad and stomp out my enemies. I dial up the Humans for one last shot at peace and sign a small trade agreement.

This lasts for a while. I see some Bulrathi ships near my planets and build some small ships to protect my best planet. Next turn pops Advanced Space Scanners and shows that they are just reinforcing their planet that is near me. A couple turns later show a Human fleet near Cirus. I pump bases but when the force comes, I wait a turn to see if they'll retreat. No such luck, so I scan them to find out that the Humans have Auto Repair.

As I'm trying to foster a good relationship with them, I won't try to steal it from them. Maybe I'll try a tech trade. A few turns later, the humans come and complain that I'm too big. I haven't even added planets in a good while. I'd best get on with that tech trade, then. And fortunately, I have a tech advantage on this, so it won't boost me but a point. I gave them Armored Exoskeleton for it.

2431 brings good news and bad. Good news I finally get a Planetary Shield (X in this case). What a wait. The Bad news: The rest of the galaxy will burn due to the Human's inane fear that I would take over the galaxy. Looks like I will have to prove them right.

The Bulrathi must have smelled what was coming and came to me for peace. Since I don't really want to pick apart the weak, I sign the peace treaty and let them live. But if they every even frown at me, some of our larva will be reading history books that contain the footnote "This planet was once ruled by a very stupid furry race". Unfortunately, I had left my spies with the orders to steal techs from them, so on the next turn they ask what to steal, I sorrowfully say Construction. This affected my spies just enough to cause them to slip up and have a security camera catch the faintest hint of black chitin. They warn us about this and I try to explain. They don't listen but just let it slide for now.

Time to attack the Silicoids at Ukko. First Air Superiority. Let’s take a look at the players:




Four Large ship designs with almost no defense against my single ship with more health they have combined several times over and Auto-repair. Their planet is not much better, though my ship is not built to take out planets. I must built it a planet pounding sister ship. The ships run as I take pot shots at the planet. Though I don't take it, I reduce their bases by half, so next turn, I pound them again.

The humans try a sneak attack at my most northern colony. Well, let’s see what a rich planet can do about being baseless with a little help from planetary reserves? 17 bases from nowhere? Wiped out their best shot in four rounds? Heh heh, not so defenseless now, huh?

Now about Ukko, I send max colonists to take it. The Silicoids also get wind of their impending doom and ask for peace. Since I have already sent troops, I don't want relations to crumble so easily, I decline. They outnumber us, but that is good. As my Warriors land, they find themselves knee deep in excrement. I didn't even know rocks could poop! Only the outer fringes of the settlements could even be called habitable. Slogging through indescribable muck slowed the troops down, but our resilient troops girded themselves and annihilated the vile things. Now they start the disgusting task of cleaning their way to the center of the cities. The hardy scouts bring back plans to some obsolete factories and quite a few weaponry. MIRVs look fun.

Now the Bulrathi come and complain about the size of our empire. This from the early planet takers?!? Their concerns are ignored. My spies report that the 'acquisitions' from Ukko were the last bits of knowledge that the Silicoids knew that we didn't. I give the orders to lay low while I sign an peace treaty.

The next turn brings news that the Bulrathi are trying to take a planet close to them. The planet, Nyral, is still working on Planetary Shielding. I take a gamble and risk the remaining Imperial Treasury to finish the shield. It pays off! I even get a base out of the deal. Next turn I'm surprised that I don't get to blast the Ursines out of the sky. I check them again. Two turns left! What's with the AI still running around with such slow ships?

As 2450 grow closer, I get antsy and try everything to cool relations with everyone. The Humans just won't budge. Every time I ask, they want a tech in return. That just isn’t happening, meta-rule or not.

The 2450 vote comes. 37 total, so I need 25 or more to win. Humans vote for themselves for 7. Silicoids vote for me for 6. The Psilons vote for me for 2. The Bulrathi vote for the Humans for 5. I have 17. 17 + 2 + 6 = 25! I win by the skin of my teeth. With the Human and Bulrathi fears finally realized, I bring all leaders together to begin discuss how they will live under the rule of their new Insect Overlords.



Points:

16 planets + 17 votes = 32 for Colonist
32 + 31 + 27 = 90 for Researcher
Hate (0) + Wary (6) + Neutral (10) + Unease (8) = 24 for Diplomat
+ 100 for Diplo win

Total = 246

If my first scoring is allowed, the total is 124 + 246 = 350.

It was the fact that I got an Artifact World, and the pop boost it gave, so early and I had a whole corner to myself that I had such an easy time. I wonder what happened to others who didn't so luckily or had a true runaway AI?

[KnTenshi]

Here's the pics for the second scoring.