(Shadow game because I couldn't get it completed in time -- I did the Extreme version first)
Well, after a very poor showing in my attempt at the extreme game, my pride recovered and I decided to attempt the gentle version. I'll try and apply some lessons learned from the extreme game, and I'm confident I'll do better this time.
One thing I'll carry over is that I am really interested in map control and combat. In many MOO games, my pattern is to expand as much as possible, then more or less turtle while researching up to a dominant fleet, at which point the end comes quickly depending on my choice of victory condition. But for this game, I'm going to try and get down and dirty. I want to fight earlier and more often than I normally would. Essentially, I'm going to do a bit of roleplaying -- not only can I not settle non-green stars, but I fear and loathe them and those other races who can settle them. I'll strive to keep them uninhabited, by preventing settlement and glassing them when necessary, as much as the diplomatic situation lets me get away with. Let's see how it goes!
2300
OK so two green settlement candidates right away. The green star off to the east looks like kind of a short five parsec measurement, must be on the distance threshold. I wonder how far it is from that green candidate that forms the closest triangle with it and Sssla. Can't be more than four parsecs, right?
Speaking of which, it's only four parsecs to that green star due south, which probably opens up the bottom three in that cluster with Range 4 tech. I really hope I get Range 4 in the tech tree! It seems like a good plan to focus early on these two clusters. I can hopefully settle them quick and they'll form a solid foundation for the rest of the game.
Looking around the map, that green star in the center could be very helpful. It'll provide a base of operations for me to strike in any direction on the map, which fits with my intentions. I won't be getting there anytime soon, but I covet it... Yesss I do, my lizard brothersss and sssissstersss!
I think I can identify where my early challenges will be. Assuming there's a race in the southeast, we'll contest the southern cluster. Secondarily, I expect someone to be in the middle yellow star and take that green one I want. I'm sure there's a race or two in the northwest, but those between-star distances look kind of long and I don't think we'll have contact for some time.
I send one of my starting scouts to the green star due south. It's the key that unlocks that cluster, and I need to protect it. I send the second scout to the furthest yellow star to the southwest, again for protection. Yes, I'm going to intentionally delay my scouting of the settlement worlds. I value this intel more than anything.
For the same reason I'm going to open the propulsion tree this very first turn. I need to know what range options I have available. Otherwise, I'll build Scout 2s and over these opening turns I will see which green star is best while putting scout pickets over all the stars, prioritizing the ones furthest from my corner.
2301
I pulled Range 4 and Range 5, and chose Range 4. Now here's a hypothetical scenario. Assuming there is a race down in the southeast, I could rush Range 4, send my initial colony ship south, and fight tooth and tail for that southern cluster. I might even be able to overwhelm their homeworld with lizard wave assaults! It would be horrendously expensive and inefficient, but also kind of fun. If it worked. Which I doubt. So I'll play it safe and build up my core cluster instead, and just make sure I protect that intermediate green star.
2304
Well, well, well. That green star to the south, Laan, is a Tundra planet. It never occurred to me that it might not be immediately colonizable! So that's a choke point, and whoever is below it has free reign for now. I should still get it, since there's no Silicoids and only the Psilons are likely to have a chance at beating me there. Unless I have a really crap tech tree.
In other news, those two close worlds are Vulcan, a Terran 90 and Ukko, a Minimal 10. Ukk indeed. On the bright side, that eastern green star is only four parsecs from Vulcan.
2306
Located Orion. It's at a red star, so I won't be colonizing it this game!
2307
Vulcan was colonized. I seed it with 20 pop from Sssla. Then I open the rest of the tech tree, out of curiosity.
2308
Computers: Deep Space Scanner or Battle Computer 2. I take the scanner. When I colonize Laan, this will let me have a great idea of what's going on down there. I'll circle back for the battle computer later.
Construction: Only Reduced Industrial Waste 80%. I'm OK with that.
Force Fields: Shield 2, of course.
Planetology: Terraforming +10 and Improved Eco Restoration! I go for T+10. It's so dirt cheap at 70 RP and lets me quickly see whether Tundra tech is available.
Weapons: Gatling Laser only. Whatever.
So it seems I have a plan. Develop Sssla and Vulcan, of course. I'll trickle research T+10 to find out whether I can have Tundra. I'll want Range 4 soon regardless so I can settle Beta Ceti, the average world that completes my core cluster. Ukko can wait, I don't think it justifies the cost of a colony ship at this time. At some point I'll reinforce my scout at Kronos, the yellow star to the southwest, with long-range laser destroyers.
2318
Terraforming +10 hit, and great news, I have Tundra available! However, I'm going to backtrack and grab Improved Eco Restoration first. Without any cleanup techs, waste management eats up huge amounts of a fully developed colony's potential. This will also reduce the comparative cost of Range 4 and Tundra, vs the cost of not having the cleanup tech.
2326
Improved Eco Restoration hits, and Sssla is one turn away from fully standing up. Time to begin researching Range 4 and Tundra, while building first a regular colony ship for Beta Ceti, then the Tundra for Laan. BTW, I'm kind of eyeballing what I understand to be the optimal research spending, based on what I learned in this forum. So far, it seems to be working well.
2331
Range 4 hits just as Sssla finishes the basic colony ship. Great timing! It heads out to Beta Ceti. In terms of tech, I pull Nuclear Engines and Inertial Stabilizer. I REALLY like Inertial Stabilizer, and I'll come back for it before combat heats up, but I go for Nuclear Engines now. I want faster ships.
2336
I've settled Beta Ceti. I'll peel off 10 pop each from Sssla and Vulcan to give it a great start. Tundra tech came in this turn too, and the only option is Terraforming +30. Alright. Now it's time to build that tundra colony I've been saving up for. I'll send some escort ships as well.
Also, Vulcan is about stood up, I'm going to have it build a colony ship to settle Ukko just to get that out of the way.
2338
The Tundra colony ship sets sail south with a 35 fighter accompaniment. These are to ensure the colony's safety, and to picket any green stars that are still left available. Since I am expecting a race to be down there, I want to be prepared. I'll send another turn worth of fighters after it, for ~50 total. That should be good for the moment. When that's done, I'll build some long-range laser destroyers to picket Kronos, that yellow star I don't want anyone to settle. I begin researching all non-Planetology tech fields -- time to see what's in the next tiers.
2341
GNN announces the Darloks control six systems! You know, there are six yellow and green stars down in the bottom right... Couldn't be, could it?
2342
No, it's not the Darloks down there. I settle Laan and find Humans -- and they are allied with the Darloks, though. The Humans are Honorable Technologists, and we're evenly matched in every respect. In the time it took me to get over the Tundra hurdle, they've taken the western two of the remaining three planets in the cluster. I send a bunch of fighters to the remaining eastern one. It's a priority to settle there. I'm going to make nice while I feel the Humans out, and determine how strong I need to be to kill them. Muahahaha! In the meantime, I start a 25 BC trade agreement.
Oh, and now that Laan is settled I realize I don't actually need long-range destroyers to picket Kronos. It's only 4 parsecs away now, so I'll build more fighters instead. The three destroyers I already built get reassigned to that red planet way down in the bottom right. I don't yet know what's there, but it'll take a long time to get there, so might as well start now -- it's a speculative move.
2343
With Ukko now settled, I can scout that nearest green star to my northwest. I hope it's a good one. Ukko itself will not be too useful for awhile, at least until I get that Terraforming +30.
2346
Hmmm. I chase away a Darlok scout at Proteus, the uncolonized southern green star. It's Tundra, so I can take it. I'll make that a priority now. Hopefully the Humans don't try any funny business.
2347
OK, so Tau Cygni, the green star to my northwest, is decent. It's also six parsecs away. I may need to build a huge long range colony ship to get there. Or maybe my imminent construction tech advance will miniaturize things enough for a large one. Or maybe I go for Range 7, if available. I have a couple turns to figure it out.
I also scout the two worlds of mine that the Humans are squatting on. They are both nice prizes. I can't let them get entrenched here. Also, they made a huge mistake by letting me see them. Now I can try and one-shot them in the future, by gaining space superiority and invading in one turn. If I could bag both this way, that would be sweet.
2348
Oooh, I find my first Darlok world, at Crypto, the red star just northwest of the southern green cluster. I wonder why we don't have official diplomatic contact yet.
2353
Deep Space Scanner hits. This is great, as I can see the ships flying around my Human-occupied worlds. Now also choose ECM 2, Robotic Controls 3, and Battle Computer 3. They're all pretty expensive and I'm going to be gearing up for a war, so I choose the leftover Battle Computer 2. I'll get the robotics controls in the next lull.
2354
Nuclear Engines hit. My only new choice is Range 7, which I take. I think I'll get the Inertial Stabilizer from conquering the Humans. I'll also need this longer range to cheaply settle Tau Cygni and be able to strike at the southernmost Human world.
2355
Shield 2 hits. My new, and only, choice is Personal Deflector Shield. That would be handy to have for an invasion.
I also turn back a Darlok colony ship at Kronos. It retreated instantly. When I get a chance, I'll beef up the picket.
2356
I just settled Proteus down in the cluster, and the positioning is great. I can see all the ships flying around between Sol and my two target planets. So far, just a bunch of fighters. I'll seed it with 13 pop from Laan.
2358
Finally! Reduced Industrial Waste 80% and Gatling Laser hit. In Construction, I can choose either Improved Industrial Tech 8 or Duralloy Armor. An easy choice for Duralloy Armor, I think -- I'm just not building a ton of factories on a ton of worlds. As for weapons, I can choose Neutron Pellet Gun, Fusion Bomb, or Ion Cannon. I'm partial to the Neutron Pellet Gun, so I choose it. I'll come around for bombs later -- I don't think I'll need Fusion Bomb to take out the Humans.
2359
The Darloks probe Kronos with two medium missile boats. I really do need to beef up the picket -- looks like the Humans are sending a colony ship up there too.
This is a momentous turn. With all my current techs in, I'm ready to build a fleet and take on the Humans. Sssla in particular has been saving up a bunch of turns of production, ready to convert into a death fleet. The thing about it is I have a bunch of great combat techs on deck: Battle Computer 2, Duralloy Armor, Personal Deflector Shield, and Neutron Pellet Gun. I could wait for them to come in, but the Humans have nothing to scare me right now: just Inertial Stabilizer and Hyper-V rockets. I decide I'm going to go for it. I will keep some research going into Range 7 since I'll need it to exterminate the Humans. And per the roleplay, extermination is my goal.
Here's my space superiority design:
VALKYRIE
Large
7x Gatling Lasers
Computer 1
Shield 2
Nuclear Engines
Maneuverability 2
Battle Scanner
And my bomber:
MINI BOMB 1
Small
1x Nuclear Bomb
Nuclear Engines
Maneuverability 2
Everything will converge on Laan.
2360
Hmm, the Darloks really want Kronos. Another attempt at colonization, this time with a four medium ship escort. I'll divert a Valkyrie over there.
2362
Bummer. With a Valkyrie two turns out, the Darloks show up at Kronos again and defeat the picket and settle the planet. I get a visit from their diplomat. But here's the thing: they and the Humans are allied. When war breaks out between me and the Humans, the Darloks might get involved. Why don't I just glass it? The beauty of this is that it'll break contact with the Darloks.
2364
Geez was it ever a mistake to let the Darloks slip into Kronos. Now they have Nordia too. That's three friggin' parsecs from Sssla. I will stomp on these two worlds. And they're no longer allied with the Humans, either! I learned this when I saw Human transports heading to steal Kronos out from under the Darloks.
2365
GNN announces that Ursa has been irradiated. Ouch for the Bulrathis!
And I made a bit of a mistake. I was playing around with transport options and I forgot to cancel a 20 pop invasion force from Laan to Omicron, one of the Human worlds. It won't be enough to take the planet. In fact, I decided given their high pop count and low numbers of factories, it wouldn't be worthwhile to invade after all, and that I should just wipe em and start fresh. Looks like I forced my own hand, though. I'll set sail for Omicron in one turn. Sssla builds a colony ship to send south.
2368
This is hilarious! The Humans took Kronos from the Darloks. Now I'm bombing the embryonic Darlok world at Nordia, the Human world at Kronos, and the Human world at Omicron. I really want to clean this mess up.
2369
I glassed the Darloks at Nordia, and that broke contact with them. Now to send the bombers to Kronos and wipe the Humans out of there. Omicron will soon be wiped off the map as well.
2373
I finally glassed Kronos. I should never have let things get so out of hand over there -- it became quite the distraction. I also glassed Omicron. For this, the Humans officially declared war. Next up: Mobas, the other green planet! I also step up Range 7 tech spending, as I need it to reach the bottom Human planet and complete the extermination.
2374
I settled Omicron. The Darloks are now back in contact, and we're still at war. From what I can see, I can contain them.
2376
The Darloks are beginning to mass a fleet at Crypto, their nearest world to the southern cluster.
2380
A great turn! Range 7 hit. The new choices are Energy Pulsar, Fusion Drives, and Range 8. They're all pretty expensive, so I double back for Inertial Stabilizer. That's a fantastic combat tech. The other great thing about this turn is that I can now build a Large colony ship with Reserve Fuel Tanks! So any green stars within 10 parsecs of any of my worlds are colonization candidates. And I can now go straight for Tau Cygni.
The wars are going great too. I beat back a Darlok force at Kronos -- the Valkyrie is proving to be a good design. Still, I add another one there (for a total of two) -- don't want a repeat of what happened earlier. And I broke Sol's defenses. About 315 mini bombers went in, 263 survived after destroying 10 missile bases. The Humans' days are numbered.
It's time to think about the post-Human scouting and picketing. I scrap my slow long-range destroyers, laser fighters, and Scout 2s. I commission a new Warp 2 Scout 3 to begin with, and will start exploring more of the galaxy.
I keep research going and plow all the points into Terraforming +30. That will be a nice economic boost for the consolidation period to come, and will help if the elections begin soon.
2381
Finally settled Mobas. I had to wait because the Humans had transports coming, back from when they still owned the planet. It wouldn't do any good to settle the planet and then immediately lose it to invasion, since some would likely slip through orbit! Instead I waited until the transports arrived and starved, then I could colonize.
I'm watching the Darloks assemble at Crypto. I think I need to disrupt that staging ground.
Oh man... those large extended range colony ships I can build? They don't have enough room for Nuclear Engines! Three spaces short. That cracks me up.
2382
Sol is glassed. Maalor, their last world that's down in the south, will soon be dead too. Some bad news, though -- Omicron has rebelled. Damn Darloks.
2383
Oh come on, the Mrrshans just settled Tau Cygni, the green star I had a colony ship being built for. I really should have had a better picket there, I know better than that. The kitties aren't very powerful, though -- this is only their third (or fourth?) world.
2387
I recaptured Omicron from the rebels. The Darloks sent a stronger force to Kronos. They really want to resettle that world!
2388
The Humans ask for a peace treaty. Ummm, no. Some scouts have run across Psilon worlds out west. No formal contact yet, though. The Darloks are allied with the Psilons. That could be interesting.
2390
And so, 31 years after putting our plans in motion, the Humans are wiped off the face of the galaxy when I glass Maalor in the south. There is much rejoicing on Sakkra worlds!
This is a good time to take stock of this game. First off, I'm having a lot of fun. Between the green star constraint and my militarist playstyle, it's proving to be a unique challenge. Thanks, RefSteel!
Some things that are going well:
* I've secured both green star clusters in the east. These eight worlds are the foundation I needed for ultimate success.
* I've done well with map control. Yes, I should have prevented the Mrrshans from taking the green stars Tau Cygni and Iranha in the middle north of the galaxy, but there is not a single non-Sakkra colony anywhere in the galaxy east of Crypto. That's means I own or deny 40% of the map!
* I'm strong relative to the other known races, the Mrrshans and Darloks. I lead in total power, with only the Darloks achieving parity in any field -- technology. The Mrrshans are not a credible threat to me at all.
Some things that concern me:
* I'm stretched thin. I need more warships! I need more general combat ships to clear Darlok space. I need more bombers -- it takes too many turns to glass planets. I need more pickets to ward off non-green stars. I need more tech too! My fleet, as dominant as it is right now, is still a first-generation design. I need the better computers, armor, gun, and Inertial Stabilizer that are waiting on deck ASAP. I really need a better bomb, so I can play more effective whack-a-mole. But I also need the Terraforming +30 and Robotic Controls 3 to be strong in the future, and they will take time to research and implement.
* I worry about getting myself in a pseudo-Final War type of situation. I'm already at war with the Darloks, and the Mrrshans didn't take kindly to my extermination of the Humans. Especially as I discover more races, like the Darlok-allied Psilons, if I'm not careful the galaxy could unite against me.
* Speaking of which, Psilons. What have they been up to all this time? I wonder if I'll discover they have a ton of worlds and have been sitting around teching up to five tiers above my level.
Other thoughts:
* We've never had an election. I might be able to prevent it from triggering at all. Now that would be a unique game.
* Orion. If possible, I would like to kill the Guardian. After all, he's kind of an inhabitant of a non-green world!
* I have literally not built a single missile base so far. The best defense is a good offense!
So going forward:
* I need the southern cluster to fully stand up.
* Terraforming +30 is almost done. When that hits, decide how much to prioritize further economic maximization against riding my momentum by escalating the Darlok war. At minimum, though, I want to disrupt their staging ground at Crypto.
* Plan on taking more green stars. Should I ambush the kitties in the north soon? Is it feasible to capture from the Darloks Toranor, the strategic linchpin at the center of the galaxy? At least I should take Zoctan quickly -- it's now a freebie near the southeastern corner.
This turn I take an audience with the Mrrshans and donate them Range 4 tech. They already have Range 5, so it's harmless. They will not accept a trade agreement, however. Our relations move up to Wary. I do think I can take their northern green stars almost at will. However, I don't want to create more of a bloc against me yet, at least until I meet the Psilons and Bulrathi and get a sense of the full political landscape. Until then, the Mrrshans are on my back burner.
2392
Terraforming +30 hit. I can choose Soil Enrichment or Terraforming +40. I choose Soil Enrichment, because it's much cheaper and provides a unique function, whereas T+40 is just another rung on the ladder.
The Mrrshans up and declared war. So far they are not allied with the Darloks... yet. It's really more of an irritation than anything, since they don't have range to reach any of my colonies. The only dangerous thing they can do is threaten to take Primodius, an attractive Jungle planet between us. I may take this opportunity to try and blitz their two green stars along the northern edge. But I want to terraform and tech as well! Choices, choices...
I decide I'll make a push for economic maximization. That'll help me get those combat techs faster, build a new fleet faster, support a larger fleet, etc. I'll wage what war I can in the meantime. By no means will I turtle, they just get a bit of a respite.
2394
Battle Computer 2 hits. I follow up with Robotic Controls 3. I'll let that simmer while I terraform my worlds. The Mrrshans probed Primodius with a colony ship, and I easily killed it; there's another Valkyrie headed up there for backup. And the Darloks probed Kronos again for the umpteenth time. I can't wait to put that system out of their range.
2395
Finally! I bring the main fleet to the Darloks' world of Crypto. The defense is pitiful. Let the glassing commence! In other news, a small Psilon fleet with colony ship chases away my scout at Neptunus, a good planet in the south. They're creeping over my way.
2398
I glassed Crypto. Now I'll move on to their homeworld at Nazin.
2400
Three great developments to celebrate my 100-year anniversary of assuming control of the Sakkras!
First, I sent a single Valkyrie to probe Tau Cygni, the nearby Mrrshan green star. My one ship barely defeated their garrison! I'll capitalize on this development by taking the planet. For me to raze and replace, I'd have to build bombers and a new colony ship, since I have neither in the area. Instead, I'll do my first lizard wave assault with a combined invasion from Sssla and Vulcan. It'll take nine turns to begin. I send 40 from each, for a total of 80.
Second, I gained supremacy over Nazin. They had 10 missile bases and I blew them away in two volleys.
Third, I founded Zoctan, my ninth world, in the south. This opened up relations with the Psilons. They're Honorable Technologists, and already the air is tense. They have a decent tech lead on me, but I still best them in planets, population, and production. I don't plan on starting a hot war with them anytime soon, though, since they are second in fleet strength behind me. I sign them up to a small trade agreement, but I won't go so far as to tribute to them.
So here's an interesting thing about diplomacy. Right now I'm at war with the Darloks, who are allied with the Psilons. If they pulled the Psilons into war, then I could be pulled into war with the Bulrathis too, once I meet them, since the Psilons are also allied with them. Now the Mrrshans, who I'm also at war with, are also allied with the Bulrathis, which could reinforce this link. So this little spider web of relations points to me being at war against everyone else, with all of them singly at war against me. I think I can handle it, but I'd rather take them on just one or two at a time. The best outcome for me would be if the Psilons refused to cooperate with the Darloks against me, and their little friendly network breaks apart.
2402
I glassed Nazin. Now I'll move on to Toranor, just to its northwest. This is the centrally located green star I've been wanting since the beginning of the game. Oh wait -- no I won't! It's eight parsecs away from my colonies, and I only have Range 7. Dang. The only Darlok world in range is Vega, in the lower middle of the galaxy, near the Psilons. It'll have to do.
2403
The Darloks ask for a peace treaty, and I refuse. What worries me is the Psilons. They've pulled even with me in fleet strength, and they have some nice techs, including Class 5 shields, Repulsor Beam, and Automated Repair System. That would be a super challenge for me to go up against right now!
2404
Robotics Control 3 hits. I can now choose Improved Space Scanner and Battle Computer 4. I'd love to have the scanner, as it lets you determine the ETA of enemy ships. However, that's academic if those ships come and kill you, so I choose Battle Computer 3 from the previous tier. I like having all the battle computer options, and I want an improvement sooner in case the Psilons come calling.
2405
I've taken control of the sky over the Darlok world Vega, and I'm now bombing it into submission. There's also an unescorted Psilon colony ship flying somewhere north. As far as I can tell, there is no open, unguarded world available for it to settle on, though.
I need to get some intel on the actual Psilon fleet composition, so I build a ship I call the CIA: it's a medium ship with reserve fuel tanks and a battle scanner. I'll build a few and send them out to probe them and the other races.
2406
I glass the Darlok world Vega, and that breaks contact! What an unusual situation. I've been so successful with map control that there are only two alien worlds in normal range: Tau Cygni, the Mrrshan colony at the far northern edge that I expect to conquer soon, and the Psilon world Rigel at the far southern edge. In the middle of the galaxy there's a nice seven-parsec wide no mans land.
2408
Well, I got my first taste of combat with the Psilons. At Nazin, the Darlok homeworld I glassed, the Psilons showed up with a colony ship and some escorts. I suffered my first defeat as my Valkyrie picket was chased off by their large ship, but not before I destroyed the colony ship. The Darloks must have been on their way too, because they re-settled Nazin the same turn. The Psilons then declared war. So I'm in an interesting situation. I can probably expect war with everyone from here on out. I'm not really prepared for the Psilons, since I've been focused on my economy for the last 18 years. Time to wrap up the factory building, finish that research, and get some new designs out in the skies. Until then, I can expect some more setbacks. But when I come back, I'm coming back with a vengeance.
Also, I start seeing Bulrathi ships flying around -- so far, a colony ship and a large ship.
2410
A quake hits Sssla, killing 33 million and destroying 186 factories. Bummer.
2411
Personal Deflector Shield hits. I can choose the Planetary Shield 5 or regular Shield 4. I'm no dummy, I go for the planetary shield. So far I haven't needed defense, but if I do, I'll really need the shield.
My first wave of lizard warriors hits the Mrrshan world of Tau Cygni in the north. We're evenly tech matched, and I whittle them down to 13 million population. In two years, my second batch will land -- it's taken them longer because they're flying through the nebula. The Mrrshans immediately ask for peace, and I reject them.
A few years ago, I split my bomber force into two: one group heading up to the Mrrshans, and another to harass the Darloks and Psilons. Well, I sent the latter to Neptunus, the nearby Psilon world on the southern map edge, and caught them with their pants down. I cleared the skies and am bombing away.
2412
I glassed Neptunus, and contact broke with the Psilons! Sweet. With that success, I'll send the bombers back to re-glass Nazin. I also had my first combat with the Bulrathis -- a large combat ship showed up at I think it was Primodius in the north. No sweat.
2413
Little Ukko is the first planet to come fully online after the Terraforming +30 and Robotics Controls 3. I'll be getting the rest in the near future.
2414
Neutron Pellet Gun hits! Only 56 years after I first encountered it, lol. So my new choices are good: Mass Driver, Merculite Missiles, and Neutron Blaster. A case could be made for any of them. The Mass Driver will work well against high Psilon shielding for a long time, and be dominant against everyone else. The Merculite Missiles are the first missile upgrade I've had, and would be potent on bases. However, I go for the Neutron Blaster. Since the Psilons have high shields and Repulsor Beam, I need the option of a strong beam weapon with two-space range (right now, if they come back into contact and field a high-tech ship I would be near useless against it). I can double back for the missiles (and the Fusion Bomb).
2415
I've captured Tau Cygni from the Mrrshans, but with only 6 population left. They have transport reinforcements on the way that were launched when they still held the planet, but now I don't know if I can destroy them all in orbit.
2416
Oh. My. God. Those Mrrshan transports? Some got through and recaptured Tau Cygni, with seven troops left. They stole Robotic Controls 3, Tundra, and the Neutron Pellet Gun. You've got to be kidding me.
The Darloks ask for peace again, and I refuse.
2417
Duralloy Armor hits. About time. I can now choose Automated Repair System or Reduced Industrial Waste 60%. I go for the auto repair system, it can be a great combat tech.
I also glass Tau Cygni out of spite. Frankly, it just takes too long to shuttle more transports up there, especially with the nebula. I'll just have to settle it the hard way. This breaks contact with the Mrrshans as well.
2418
OK, this is officially one of the weirdest games of Master of Orion I've ever played. I just glassed Nazin again from the Darloks. This broke contact again as well. I now have no diplomatic contact with any of the other races! None at all! There's just a huge emptiness down the middle of the galaxy. Those guys must think I'm a pretty mysterious threat: "What are the lizards doing out there?" I literally have nothing to fear right now. There's no election to worry about, my colonies are 100% safe, and I literally can't attack a planet if I wanted to. It's like an enforced turtling. So what I'll do is focus on research, and take the time to prepare a better fleet. I expect the Psilons to make some kind of sneaky move and we'll be on again, and I'll be ready.
2420
Inertial Stabilizer hits, cool! I'm back to the choices of Energy Pulsar, Fusion Drives, and Range 8. I need Range 8 to reach Toranor, but I choose Fusion Drives because I'm desperate for faster ships and transports. Plus, pair that maneuverability with the Inertial Stabilizer? Good luck hitting me, everyone!
2427
Battle Computer 3 and Fusion Drives hit. For computers, I have the same options: ECM 2, Improved Space Scanner, or Battle Computer 4. I choose the scanner, it will be extremely useful when war resumes. For propulsion, I have a new choice of Range 9. It's very expensive though, and since Range 8 is all I need at this time, I go for it.
Every colony but Zoctan in the south is fully maxed and contributing fully to research. I've been emphasizing or ignoring certain techs over others up to this point, but now I'll spread them out equally except for a focus in weapons.
2428
Neutron Blaster hits. I can now choose the Graviton Beam and Hard Beam. But first, I want the Fusion Bomb.
2429
The Psilons attack Vega with a colony ship and something of a real fleet, for once. There's one they call the Nova, a Huge class with Shield 5, Repulsor Beam, Auto Repair, a mix of Heavy Ion Cannons, Ion Cannons, and Heavy Lasers, plus 20 Death Spores. Even their medium ship, the Dark Star, has Shield 5. My Valkyries literally cannot damage these ships, since they're still sporting Gatling Lasers. I retreat. The Psilons settle, contact resumes, and they immediately ask for peace. I refuse. Don't they know I've been sitting around waiting for an opportunity like this? A look at the stats shows I narrowly edge them in total power. They still have better tech, and edge me in fleet strength. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. I'm about to design some new ships that will kill them good. There's a bit of good news, too -- where previously they were allied with everybody, now they have no alliances at all.
2431
I've stolen ECM 2 from the Psilons.
2432
Fusion Bomb hits. I follow up with Mass Driver. I'm pumping weapons tech really hard right now.
I flew my little bomber squadron over to Vega where the Psilons last settled, and I glassed it. Contact broke yet again.
However, we now have contact with the Bulrathis! They settled Neptunus down on the southern map border. Not sure how they got there, since it's far away from their core in the west/northwest and they only have an alliance with the Mrrshans, who I don't think are anywhere near this area. Anyway, the Bulrathi are weaker than me in every respect. I don't even bother diplomatic overtures, but I do start spying on them.
2433
Rankings of empire production: Sakkra, Psilon, Bulrathi, Mrrshan, Darlok.
2436
Mass Driver hits. I follow up with the Graviton Beam. This weapon is spectacular against swarms. Since I think I'm pretty well set up against Psilon larger class ships, I take this as insurance against small ships.
Time to start building up a new fleet. I start by scrapping my Scout 3s and CIA spy ships. It's long past time when unarmed scouts will do any good, but I do want a redesigned CIA ship, which is what I call a medium ship with maximum warp (Fusion Drives right now), reserve fuel tanks, and a battle scanner. Its purpose is to reconnoiter the enemy, especially their actual fleet design and composition. I need to see what the Psilons are up to.
I also commission a new bomber:
GLASSER
Medium
2x Fusion Bombs
1x Neutron Pellet Gun
Battle Computer 3
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuver 4
Inertial Stabilizer
I've maximized its defense -- this little baby is fast and hard to hit. With the spare space I can squeeze in a Neutron Pellet Gun, for a little extra kick. It'll come in handy, especially as a backup fighter against the less developed races.
Lastly, I send a current bomber squadron down to that Bulrathi world of Neptunus. I'm spying on them to try and get their Merculite missiles, but if that doesn't happen soon I may just glass the planet and break contact.
2439
My Valkyries got chased away from the Bulrathi planet Neptunus by the Mrrshans of all people. Also the Psilons have resettled Vega. I got a good look at their fleet and their tech, and as soon as the Automated Repair System hits (and the corresponding hull capacity increases) I'll design new space superiority ships.
2340
Looks like planet ownership got shuffled around some. The Psilons now own what I think was previously the Mrrshan colony at Obaca, and the Mrrshans were the ones to recolonize the former Darlok homeworld at Nazin.
2441
I steal hand lasers from the Bulrathis.
2442
I steal Improved Industrial Tech 9 from the Bulrathis. I also glass the Psilons at Vega yet again, and contact breaks.
2444
The Mrrshans recaptured Obaca from the Psilons. Good to see them squabbling.
2445
Yeah, they're shuffling worlds around. The Psilons took Nazin from the Mrrshans, which broke contact with the kitties but reopened contact with the Psilons (they asked for a peace treaty and I declined). I glassed the Bulrathis at Neptunus, which broke contact with them. So I'm back to only being able to talk to the Psilons again.
Automated Repair System hit. My new choice was Improved Industrial 6, but I went back for Reduced Industrial Waste 60%. I'm just not building many factories, but I could stand to reduce waste a bit.
Here's the new destroyer:
SPIRIT
Medium
1x Mass Driver
1x Neutron Pellet Gun
Battle Computer 3
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuverability 4
Inertial Stabilizer
Again, this ship will be damn hard for them to hit. The guns halve the Psilon shield strength. Now all I need is something to go up against their Huge design with Repulsor Beam:
TITAN
Huge
16x Heavy Blast Cannons (2 space range)
6x Neutron Pellet Guns
Battle Computer 3
Shield 2
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuverability 2
Battle Scanner
Automated Repair
Horrendously inefficient, but since I have no missile tech at the moment, this is the only way to kill that particular ship class. Worse, because of their automated repair, I'll need at least a 2:1 ratio to kill one of them. Expensive!
Now I'll start most colonies building all these ships, while I focus my limited research spending on Range 8.
2448
Current rankings of empire production: Sakkra, Psilon, Bulrathi, Mrrshan, Darlok.
2450
Well, the Darloks finally beat my Valkyrie at Crypto, and settled the planet, reopening contact. I've let all the races creep slightly eastward, as my Valkyries slowly became outclassed. Soon, though, I will make them pay. Some other good news: the Psilons are at war with everybody else! Good times. The galaxy has turned into a Bulrathi, Mrrshan, and Darlok coalition, fighting against independent and warring Sakkra and Psilon.
2454
I steal Anti-Missile Rockets from the Mrrshans. The Darloks ask for a peace treaty, and I decline as always. They must be kind of desperate -- I can see the Psilons over their world at Crypto.
2455
Improved Space Scanner hits. Sweet! This will be great for the upcoming galactic cleansing! The new option is Robotic Controls 4. I go for it. Man, the Psilons are putting the hurt on the Darloks, even if they have pushed another of my Valkyries away and settled Kronos in the galactic DMZ.
2458
Range 8 finally hits! Now we can escort and settle those distant green stars. I follow up with Range 9. With two Titans in service as well, time to scrap the Valkyries and begin what I hope will be the final war.
2459
Yes, on the very turn we begin fanning out across the galaxy, the Psilons ask for peace. Nope.
2460
I glass the Darloks at Kronos. In other news, a wealthy merchant decides to support my cause. Way to get on the winning side!
2461
I stole Controlled Barren from the Psilons, and Range 5 from the Mrrshans. The Mrrshans showed up in the south with a Huge ship that blew away my couple Spirits. However, since I just glassed them at Tau Cygni in the north, contact was broken.
2462
We just founded Tau Cygni in the north. It'll be a base of operations to wipe out the Mrrshans for good.
2465
And we've glassed and founded Toranor in the center of the galaxy.
2466
Nazin, last held by the Psilons -- glassed.
2467
Crypto, last held by the Darloks -- glassed. We also discovered Planetary Shield 5 -- cool. However, I haven't had to build a single missile base so far this game, so I don't go spending on shields yet either. This opens up Repulsor Beam, and I choose it.
2468
Ugh. The Psilons seem to have scrapped that Huge ship with the Repulsor Beam, and are now fielding a Large ship called the Sun Fire with one. I still managed to take the skies of their world Tauri, since the Sun Fire retreated, but this will be a pain to face all over the place. Good thing I have those two Titans.
A funny thing -- my relations are improving somewhat with everyone because even the guys I'm bombing are at war with the other guys I'm bombing!
2469
The Psilons at Tauri -- glassed.
2470
The Psilons at Obaca -- glassed. Darloks at Exis -- glassed. Psilons at Vega -- glassed. We've exploded across the galaxy, raining destruction from the skies.
2471
The Psilons at Berel, the furthest west I've penetrated -- glassed.
2472
The Darloks at Seidon -- glassed. This completes my extermination of the shapeshifters! This is followed by all three remaining races complimenting me for attacking their enemy.
2473
The current leaders of advanced technology: Psilon, Sakkra, Bulrathi, Mrrshan.
2474
The Psilon at Rigel -- glassed, and contact broke with them! I think they're down to only Mentar? When I settle Rigel, I can hit Mentar too.
2475
I founded Rigel in the south. I also glassed the Mrrshans at Fierias in the northwest. GNN reports I span 12 star systems. I take a look at the stats screen, and my total power is dominant, about double the Psilons and Bulrathis, more than three times the Mrrshans. For some reason the Psilons don't even have a single pixel of population showing, maybe someone else was bombing their planets earlier? I decide to focus research on propulsion to get Range 9, since I'm approaching the endgame, I seem to have enough ships already, and I just might need it to reach the Bulrathis.
2476 or 2477
Just glassed the Mrrshans at Iranha, and they have been exterminated. Beta Ceti is now poor, as well.
2478
Soil Enrichment hits. I follow up with Atmospheric Terraforming. I settle Irahna in the north, and glass the Psilons at Mentar (contact breaks yet again) and the Bulrathis at Obaca (they managed to sneak in there while I preoccupied with the Mrrshans).
2479
I founded Berel in the south. We gained supremacy over Ursa and glassed it, finally bringing a real fight to the bears. This is it, the endgame.
2480
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Psilon! I glass the Psilons at Draconis, and they're gone from the galaxy.
2481
I glass the Bulrathis at Rhilus, and contact breaks. I think there's only one world left, but I need to get a colony ship to Rhilus to reach it.
2483
Range 9 hits and I follow up with Star Gates. I also settle Rhilus. This could be it -- the last turn of the game. I have a huge fleet ready to strike at Quayal in the far west. And... we glass it. Game over!!!
Some thoughts: I really couldn't have imagined this would turn out as well as it did. It was weird not having any elections or building any missile bases, but my xenophobic militarist playstyle all came together. I was able to launch a war against the Humans before they had anything to stop me, and aggressively picketing the non-green stars paid off handsomely against the other races. The lull between 2418-2459 was perfect for teching up and building a next-generation fleet. And in the end, my ships were darting around and glassing worlds so fast, the other races were left stumbling around at slow warp speed like a bunch of drunkards. Great fun. The only loose end was that I didn't kill the Guardian of Orion.
FINAL RESULT -- VICTORY 2483 by extermination
Well, after a very poor showing in my attempt at the extreme game, my pride recovered and I decided to attempt the gentle version. I'll try and apply some lessons learned from the extreme game, and I'm confident I'll do better this time.
One thing I'll carry over is that I am really interested in map control and combat. In many MOO games, my pattern is to expand as much as possible, then more or less turtle while researching up to a dominant fleet, at which point the end comes quickly depending on my choice of victory condition. But for this game, I'm going to try and get down and dirty. I want to fight earlier and more often than I normally would. Essentially, I'm going to do a bit of roleplaying -- not only can I not settle non-green stars, but I fear and loathe them and those other races who can settle them. I'll strive to keep them uninhabited, by preventing settlement and glassing them when necessary, as much as the diplomatic situation lets me get away with. Let's see how it goes!
2300
OK so two green settlement candidates right away. The green star off to the east looks like kind of a short five parsec measurement, must be on the distance threshold. I wonder how far it is from that green candidate that forms the closest triangle with it and Sssla. Can't be more than four parsecs, right?
Speaking of which, it's only four parsecs to that green star due south, which probably opens up the bottom three in that cluster with Range 4 tech. I really hope I get Range 4 in the tech tree! It seems like a good plan to focus early on these two clusters. I can hopefully settle them quick and they'll form a solid foundation for the rest of the game.
Looking around the map, that green star in the center could be very helpful. It'll provide a base of operations for me to strike in any direction on the map, which fits with my intentions. I won't be getting there anytime soon, but I covet it... Yesss I do, my lizard brothersss and sssissstersss!
I think I can identify where my early challenges will be. Assuming there's a race in the southeast, we'll contest the southern cluster. Secondarily, I expect someone to be in the middle yellow star and take that green one I want. I'm sure there's a race or two in the northwest, but those between-star distances look kind of long and I don't think we'll have contact for some time.
I send one of my starting scouts to the green star due south. It's the key that unlocks that cluster, and I need to protect it. I send the second scout to the furthest yellow star to the southwest, again for protection. Yes, I'm going to intentionally delay my scouting of the settlement worlds. I value this intel more than anything.
For the same reason I'm going to open the propulsion tree this very first turn. I need to know what range options I have available. Otherwise, I'll build Scout 2s and over these opening turns I will see which green star is best while putting scout pickets over all the stars, prioritizing the ones furthest from my corner.
2301
I pulled Range 4 and Range 5, and chose Range 4. Now here's a hypothetical scenario. Assuming there is a race down in the southeast, I could rush Range 4, send my initial colony ship south, and fight tooth and tail for that southern cluster. I might even be able to overwhelm their homeworld with lizard wave assaults! It would be horrendously expensive and inefficient, but also kind of fun. If it worked. Which I doubt. So I'll play it safe and build up my core cluster instead, and just make sure I protect that intermediate green star.
2304
Well, well, well. That green star to the south, Laan, is a Tundra planet. It never occurred to me that it might not be immediately colonizable! So that's a choke point, and whoever is below it has free reign for now. I should still get it, since there's no Silicoids and only the Psilons are likely to have a chance at beating me there. Unless I have a really crap tech tree.
In other news, those two close worlds are Vulcan, a Terran 90 and Ukko, a Minimal 10. Ukk indeed. On the bright side, that eastern green star is only four parsecs from Vulcan.
2306
Located Orion. It's at a red star, so I won't be colonizing it this game!
2307
Vulcan was colonized. I seed it with 20 pop from Sssla. Then I open the rest of the tech tree, out of curiosity.
2308
Computers: Deep Space Scanner or Battle Computer 2. I take the scanner. When I colonize Laan, this will let me have a great idea of what's going on down there. I'll circle back for the battle computer later.
Construction: Only Reduced Industrial Waste 80%. I'm OK with that.
Force Fields: Shield 2, of course.
Planetology: Terraforming +10 and Improved Eco Restoration! I go for T+10. It's so dirt cheap at 70 RP and lets me quickly see whether Tundra tech is available.
Weapons: Gatling Laser only. Whatever.
So it seems I have a plan. Develop Sssla and Vulcan, of course. I'll trickle research T+10 to find out whether I can have Tundra. I'll want Range 4 soon regardless so I can settle Beta Ceti, the average world that completes my core cluster. Ukko can wait, I don't think it justifies the cost of a colony ship at this time. At some point I'll reinforce my scout at Kronos, the yellow star to the southwest, with long-range laser destroyers.
2318
Terraforming +10 hit, and great news, I have Tundra available! However, I'm going to backtrack and grab Improved Eco Restoration first. Without any cleanup techs, waste management eats up huge amounts of a fully developed colony's potential. This will also reduce the comparative cost of Range 4 and Tundra, vs the cost of not having the cleanup tech.
2326
Improved Eco Restoration hits, and Sssla is one turn away from fully standing up. Time to begin researching Range 4 and Tundra, while building first a regular colony ship for Beta Ceti, then the Tundra for Laan. BTW, I'm kind of eyeballing what I understand to be the optimal research spending, based on what I learned in this forum. So far, it seems to be working well.
2331
Range 4 hits just as Sssla finishes the basic colony ship. Great timing! It heads out to Beta Ceti. In terms of tech, I pull Nuclear Engines and Inertial Stabilizer. I REALLY like Inertial Stabilizer, and I'll come back for it before combat heats up, but I go for Nuclear Engines now. I want faster ships.
2336
I've settled Beta Ceti. I'll peel off 10 pop each from Sssla and Vulcan to give it a great start. Tundra tech came in this turn too, and the only option is Terraforming +30. Alright. Now it's time to build that tundra colony I've been saving up for. I'll send some escort ships as well.
Also, Vulcan is about stood up, I'm going to have it build a colony ship to settle Ukko just to get that out of the way.
2338
The Tundra colony ship sets sail south with a 35 fighter accompaniment. These are to ensure the colony's safety, and to picket any green stars that are still left available. Since I am expecting a race to be down there, I want to be prepared. I'll send another turn worth of fighters after it, for ~50 total. That should be good for the moment. When that's done, I'll build some long-range laser destroyers to picket Kronos, that yellow star I don't want anyone to settle. I begin researching all non-Planetology tech fields -- time to see what's in the next tiers.
2341
GNN announces the Darloks control six systems! You know, there are six yellow and green stars down in the bottom right... Couldn't be, could it?
2342
No, it's not the Darloks down there. I settle Laan and find Humans -- and they are allied with the Darloks, though. The Humans are Honorable Technologists, and we're evenly matched in every respect. In the time it took me to get over the Tundra hurdle, they've taken the western two of the remaining three planets in the cluster. I send a bunch of fighters to the remaining eastern one. It's a priority to settle there. I'm going to make nice while I feel the Humans out, and determine how strong I need to be to kill them. Muahahaha! In the meantime, I start a 25 BC trade agreement.
Oh, and now that Laan is settled I realize I don't actually need long-range destroyers to picket Kronos. It's only 4 parsecs away now, so I'll build more fighters instead. The three destroyers I already built get reassigned to that red planet way down in the bottom right. I don't yet know what's there, but it'll take a long time to get there, so might as well start now -- it's a speculative move.
2343
With Ukko now settled, I can scout that nearest green star to my northwest. I hope it's a good one. Ukko itself will not be too useful for awhile, at least until I get that Terraforming +30.
2346
Hmmm. I chase away a Darlok scout at Proteus, the uncolonized southern green star. It's Tundra, so I can take it. I'll make that a priority now. Hopefully the Humans don't try any funny business.
2347
OK, so Tau Cygni, the green star to my northwest, is decent. It's also six parsecs away. I may need to build a huge long range colony ship to get there. Or maybe my imminent construction tech advance will miniaturize things enough for a large one. Or maybe I go for Range 7, if available. I have a couple turns to figure it out.
I also scout the two worlds of mine that the Humans are squatting on. They are both nice prizes. I can't let them get entrenched here. Also, they made a huge mistake by letting me see them. Now I can try and one-shot them in the future, by gaining space superiority and invading in one turn. If I could bag both this way, that would be sweet.
2348
Oooh, I find my first Darlok world, at Crypto, the red star just northwest of the southern green cluster. I wonder why we don't have official diplomatic contact yet.
2353
Deep Space Scanner hits. This is great, as I can see the ships flying around my Human-occupied worlds. Now also choose ECM 2, Robotic Controls 3, and Battle Computer 3. They're all pretty expensive and I'm going to be gearing up for a war, so I choose the leftover Battle Computer 2. I'll get the robotics controls in the next lull.
2354
Nuclear Engines hit. My only new choice is Range 7, which I take. I think I'll get the Inertial Stabilizer from conquering the Humans. I'll also need this longer range to cheaply settle Tau Cygni and be able to strike at the southernmost Human world.
2355
Shield 2 hits. My new, and only, choice is Personal Deflector Shield. That would be handy to have for an invasion.
I also turn back a Darlok colony ship at Kronos. It retreated instantly. When I get a chance, I'll beef up the picket.
2356
I just settled Proteus down in the cluster, and the positioning is great. I can see all the ships flying around between Sol and my two target planets. So far, just a bunch of fighters. I'll seed it with 13 pop from Laan.
2358
Finally! Reduced Industrial Waste 80% and Gatling Laser hit. In Construction, I can choose either Improved Industrial Tech 8 or Duralloy Armor. An easy choice for Duralloy Armor, I think -- I'm just not building a ton of factories on a ton of worlds. As for weapons, I can choose Neutron Pellet Gun, Fusion Bomb, or Ion Cannon. I'm partial to the Neutron Pellet Gun, so I choose it. I'll come around for bombs later -- I don't think I'll need Fusion Bomb to take out the Humans.
2359
The Darloks probe Kronos with two medium missile boats. I really do need to beef up the picket -- looks like the Humans are sending a colony ship up there too.
This is a momentous turn. With all my current techs in, I'm ready to build a fleet and take on the Humans. Sssla in particular has been saving up a bunch of turns of production, ready to convert into a death fleet. The thing about it is I have a bunch of great combat techs on deck: Battle Computer 2, Duralloy Armor, Personal Deflector Shield, and Neutron Pellet Gun. I could wait for them to come in, but the Humans have nothing to scare me right now: just Inertial Stabilizer and Hyper-V rockets. I decide I'm going to go for it. I will keep some research going into Range 7 since I'll need it to exterminate the Humans. And per the roleplay, extermination is my goal.
Here's my space superiority design:
VALKYRIE
Large
7x Gatling Lasers
Computer 1
Shield 2
Nuclear Engines
Maneuverability 2
Battle Scanner
And my bomber:
MINI BOMB 1
Small
1x Nuclear Bomb
Nuclear Engines
Maneuverability 2
Everything will converge on Laan.
2360
Hmm, the Darloks really want Kronos. Another attempt at colonization, this time with a four medium ship escort. I'll divert a Valkyrie over there.
2362
Bummer. With a Valkyrie two turns out, the Darloks show up at Kronos again and defeat the picket and settle the planet. I get a visit from their diplomat. But here's the thing: they and the Humans are allied. When war breaks out between me and the Humans, the Darloks might get involved. Why don't I just glass it? The beauty of this is that it'll break contact with the Darloks.
2364
Geez was it ever a mistake to let the Darloks slip into Kronos. Now they have Nordia too. That's three friggin' parsecs from Sssla. I will stomp on these two worlds. And they're no longer allied with the Humans, either! I learned this when I saw Human transports heading to steal Kronos out from under the Darloks.
2365
GNN announces that Ursa has been irradiated. Ouch for the Bulrathis!
And I made a bit of a mistake. I was playing around with transport options and I forgot to cancel a 20 pop invasion force from Laan to Omicron, one of the Human worlds. It won't be enough to take the planet. In fact, I decided given their high pop count and low numbers of factories, it wouldn't be worthwhile to invade after all, and that I should just wipe em and start fresh. Looks like I forced my own hand, though. I'll set sail for Omicron in one turn. Sssla builds a colony ship to send south.
2368
This is hilarious! The Humans took Kronos from the Darloks. Now I'm bombing the embryonic Darlok world at Nordia, the Human world at Kronos, and the Human world at Omicron. I really want to clean this mess up.
2369
I glassed the Darloks at Nordia, and that broke contact with them. Now to send the bombers to Kronos and wipe the Humans out of there. Omicron will soon be wiped off the map as well.
2373
I finally glassed Kronos. I should never have let things get so out of hand over there -- it became quite the distraction. I also glassed Omicron. For this, the Humans officially declared war. Next up: Mobas, the other green planet! I also step up Range 7 tech spending, as I need it to reach the bottom Human planet and complete the extermination.
2374
I settled Omicron. The Darloks are now back in contact, and we're still at war. From what I can see, I can contain them.
2376
The Darloks are beginning to mass a fleet at Crypto, their nearest world to the southern cluster.
2380
A great turn! Range 7 hit. The new choices are Energy Pulsar, Fusion Drives, and Range 8. They're all pretty expensive, so I double back for Inertial Stabilizer. That's a fantastic combat tech. The other great thing about this turn is that I can now build a Large colony ship with Reserve Fuel Tanks! So any green stars within 10 parsecs of any of my worlds are colonization candidates. And I can now go straight for Tau Cygni.
The wars are going great too. I beat back a Darlok force at Kronos -- the Valkyrie is proving to be a good design. Still, I add another one there (for a total of two) -- don't want a repeat of what happened earlier. And I broke Sol's defenses. About 315 mini bombers went in, 263 survived after destroying 10 missile bases. The Humans' days are numbered.
It's time to think about the post-Human scouting and picketing. I scrap my slow long-range destroyers, laser fighters, and Scout 2s. I commission a new Warp 2 Scout 3 to begin with, and will start exploring more of the galaxy.
I keep research going and plow all the points into Terraforming +30. That will be a nice economic boost for the consolidation period to come, and will help if the elections begin soon.
2381
Finally settled Mobas. I had to wait because the Humans had transports coming, back from when they still owned the planet. It wouldn't do any good to settle the planet and then immediately lose it to invasion, since some would likely slip through orbit! Instead I waited until the transports arrived and starved, then I could colonize.
I'm watching the Darloks assemble at Crypto. I think I need to disrupt that staging ground.
Oh man... those large extended range colony ships I can build? They don't have enough room for Nuclear Engines! Three spaces short. That cracks me up.
2382
Sol is glassed. Maalor, their last world that's down in the south, will soon be dead too. Some bad news, though -- Omicron has rebelled. Damn Darloks.
2383
Oh come on, the Mrrshans just settled Tau Cygni, the green star I had a colony ship being built for. I really should have had a better picket there, I know better than that. The kitties aren't very powerful, though -- this is only their third (or fourth?) world.
2387
I recaptured Omicron from the rebels. The Darloks sent a stronger force to Kronos. They really want to resettle that world!
2388
The Humans ask for a peace treaty. Ummm, no. Some scouts have run across Psilon worlds out west. No formal contact yet, though. The Darloks are allied with the Psilons. That could be interesting.
2390
And so, 31 years after putting our plans in motion, the Humans are wiped off the face of the galaxy when I glass Maalor in the south. There is much rejoicing on Sakkra worlds!
This is a good time to take stock of this game. First off, I'm having a lot of fun. Between the green star constraint and my militarist playstyle, it's proving to be a unique challenge. Thanks, RefSteel!
Some things that are going well:
* I've secured both green star clusters in the east. These eight worlds are the foundation I needed for ultimate success.
* I've done well with map control. Yes, I should have prevented the Mrrshans from taking the green stars Tau Cygni and Iranha in the middle north of the galaxy, but there is not a single non-Sakkra colony anywhere in the galaxy east of Crypto. That's means I own or deny 40% of the map!
* I'm strong relative to the other known races, the Mrrshans and Darloks. I lead in total power, with only the Darloks achieving parity in any field -- technology. The Mrrshans are not a credible threat to me at all.
Some things that concern me:
* I'm stretched thin. I need more warships! I need more general combat ships to clear Darlok space. I need more bombers -- it takes too many turns to glass planets. I need more pickets to ward off non-green stars. I need more tech too! My fleet, as dominant as it is right now, is still a first-generation design. I need the better computers, armor, gun, and Inertial Stabilizer that are waiting on deck ASAP. I really need a better bomb, so I can play more effective whack-a-mole. But I also need the Terraforming +30 and Robotic Controls 3 to be strong in the future, and they will take time to research and implement.
* I worry about getting myself in a pseudo-Final War type of situation. I'm already at war with the Darloks, and the Mrrshans didn't take kindly to my extermination of the Humans. Especially as I discover more races, like the Darlok-allied Psilons, if I'm not careful the galaxy could unite against me.
* Speaking of which, Psilons. What have they been up to all this time? I wonder if I'll discover they have a ton of worlds and have been sitting around teching up to five tiers above my level.
Other thoughts:
* We've never had an election. I might be able to prevent it from triggering at all. Now that would be a unique game.
* Orion. If possible, I would like to kill the Guardian. After all, he's kind of an inhabitant of a non-green world!
* I have literally not built a single missile base so far. The best defense is a good offense!
So going forward:
* I need the southern cluster to fully stand up.
* Terraforming +30 is almost done. When that hits, decide how much to prioritize further economic maximization against riding my momentum by escalating the Darlok war. At minimum, though, I want to disrupt their staging ground at Crypto.
* Plan on taking more green stars. Should I ambush the kitties in the north soon? Is it feasible to capture from the Darloks Toranor, the strategic linchpin at the center of the galaxy? At least I should take Zoctan quickly -- it's now a freebie near the southeastern corner.
This turn I take an audience with the Mrrshans and donate them Range 4 tech. They already have Range 5, so it's harmless. They will not accept a trade agreement, however. Our relations move up to Wary. I do think I can take their northern green stars almost at will. However, I don't want to create more of a bloc against me yet, at least until I meet the Psilons and Bulrathi and get a sense of the full political landscape. Until then, the Mrrshans are on my back burner.
2392
Terraforming +30 hit. I can choose Soil Enrichment or Terraforming +40. I choose Soil Enrichment, because it's much cheaper and provides a unique function, whereas T+40 is just another rung on the ladder.
The Mrrshans up and declared war. So far they are not allied with the Darloks... yet. It's really more of an irritation than anything, since they don't have range to reach any of my colonies. The only dangerous thing they can do is threaten to take Primodius, an attractive Jungle planet between us. I may take this opportunity to try and blitz their two green stars along the northern edge. But I want to terraform and tech as well! Choices, choices...
I decide I'll make a push for economic maximization. That'll help me get those combat techs faster, build a new fleet faster, support a larger fleet, etc. I'll wage what war I can in the meantime. By no means will I turtle, they just get a bit of a respite.
2394
Battle Computer 2 hits. I follow up with Robotic Controls 3. I'll let that simmer while I terraform my worlds. The Mrrshans probed Primodius with a colony ship, and I easily killed it; there's another Valkyrie headed up there for backup. And the Darloks probed Kronos again for the umpteenth time. I can't wait to put that system out of their range.
2395
Finally! I bring the main fleet to the Darloks' world of Crypto. The defense is pitiful. Let the glassing commence! In other news, a small Psilon fleet with colony ship chases away my scout at Neptunus, a good planet in the south. They're creeping over my way.
2398
I glassed Crypto. Now I'll move on to their homeworld at Nazin.
2400
Three great developments to celebrate my 100-year anniversary of assuming control of the Sakkras!
First, I sent a single Valkyrie to probe Tau Cygni, the nearby Mrrshan green star. My one ship barely defeated their garrison! I'll capitalize on this development by taking the planet. For me to raze and replace, I'd have to build bombers and a new colony ship, since I have neither in the area. Instead, I'll do my first lizard wave assault with a combined invasion from Sssla and Vulcan. It'll take nine turns to begin. I send 40 from each, for a total of 80.
Second, I gained supremacy over Nazin. They had 10 missile bases and I blew them away in two volleys.
Third, I founded Zoctan, my ninth world, in the south. This opened up relations with the Psilons. They're Honorable Technologists, and already the air is tense. They have a decent tech lead on me, but I still best them in planets, population, and production. I don't plan on starting a hot war with them anytime soon, though, since they are second in fleet strength behind me. I sign them up to a small trade agreement, but I won't go so far as to tribute to them.
So here's an interesting thing about diplomacy. Right now I'm at war with the Darloks, who are allied with the Psilons. If they pulled the Psilons into war, then I could be pulled into war with the Bulrathis too, once I meet them, since the Psilons are also allied with them. Now the Mrrshans, who I'm also at war with, are also allied with the Bulrathis, which could reinforce this link. So this little spider web of relations points to me being at war against everyone else, with all of them singly at war against me. I think I can handle it, but I'd rather take them on just one or two at a time. The best outcome for me would be if the Psilons refused to cooperate with the Darloks against me, and their little friendly network breaks apart.
2402
I glassed Nazin. Now I'll move on to Toranor, just to its northwest. This is the centrally located green star I've been wanting since the beginning of the game. Oh wait -- no I won't! It's eight parsecs away from my colonies, and I only have Range 7. Dang. The only Darlok world in range is Vega, in the lower middle of the galaxy, near the Psilons. It'll have to do.
2403
The Darloks ask for a peace treaty, and I refuse. What worries me is the Psilons. They've pulled even with me in fleet strength, and they have some nice techs, including Class 5 shields, Repulsor Beam, and Automated Repair System. That would be a super challenge for me to go up against right now!
2404
Robotics Control 3 hits. I can now choose Improved Space Scanner and Battle Computer 4. I'd love to have the scanner, as it lets you determine the ETA of enemy ships. However, that's academic if those ships come and kill you, so I choose Battle Computer 3 from the previous tier. I like having all the battle computer options, and I want an improvement sooner in case the Psilons come calling.
2405
I've taken control of the sky over the Darlok world Vega, and I'm now bombing it into submission. There's also an unescorted Psilon colony ship flying somewhere north. As far as I can tell, there is no open, unguarded world available for it to settle on, though.
I need to get some intel on the actual Psilon fleet composition, so I build a ship I call the CIA: it's a medium ship with reserve fuel tanks and a battle scanner. I'll build a few and send them out to probe them and the other races.
2406
I glass the Darlok world Vega, and that breaks contact! What an unusual situation. I've been so successful with map control that there are only two alien worlds in normal range: Tau Cygni, the Mrrshan colony at the far northern edge that I expect to conquer soon, and the Psilon world Rigel at the far southern edge. In the middle of the galaxy there's a nice seven-parsec wide no mans land.
2408
Well, I got my first taste of combat with the Psilons. At Nazin, the Darlok homeworld I glassed, the Psilons showed up with a colony ship and some escorts. I suffered my first defeat as my Valkyrie picket was chased off by their large ship, but not before I destroyed the colony ship. The Darloks must have been on their way too, because they re-settled Nazin the same turn. The Psilons then declared war. So I'm in an interesting situation. I can probably expect war with everyone from here on out. I'm not really prepared for the Psilons, since I've been focused on my economy for the last 18 years. Time to wrap up the factory building, finish that research, and get some new designs out in the skies. Until then, I can expect some more setbacks. But when I come back, I'm coming back with a vengeance.
Also, I start seeing Bulrathi ships flying around -- so far, a colony ship and a large ship.
2410
A quake hits Sssla, killing 33 million and destroying 186 factories. Bummer.
2411
Personal Deflector Shield hits. I can choose the Planetary Shield 5 or regular Shield 4. I'm no dummy, I go for the planetary shield. So far I haven't needed defense, but if I do, I'll really need the shield.
My first wave of lizard warriors hits the Mrrshan world of Tau Cygni in the north. We're evenly tech matched, and I whittle them down to 13 million population. In two years, my second batch will land -- it's taken them longer because they're flying through the nebula. The Mrrshans immediately ask for peace, and I reject them.
A few years ago, I split my bomber force into two: one group heading up to the Mrrshans, and another to harass the Darloks and Psilons. Well, I sent the latter to Neptunus, the nearby Psilon world on the southern map edge, and caught them with their pants down. I cleared the skies and am bombing away.
2412
I glassed Neptunus, and contact broke with the Psilons! Sweet. With that success, I'll send the bombers back to re-glass Nazin. I also had my first combat with the Bulrathis -- a large combat ship showed up at I think it was Primodius in the north. No sweat.
2413
Little Ukko is the first planet to come fully online after the Terraforming +30 and Robotics Controls 3. I'll be getting the rest in the near future.
2414
Neutron Pellet Gun hits! Only 56 years after I first encountered it, lol. So my new choices are good: Mass Driver, Merculite Missiles, and Neutron Blaster. A case could be made for any of them. The Mass Driver will work well against high Psilon shielding for a long time, and be dominant against everyone else. The Merculite Missiles are the first missile upgrade I've had, and would be potent on bases. However, I go for the Neutron Blaster. Since the Psilons have high shields and Repulsor Beam, I need the option of a strong beam weapon with two-space range (right now, if they come back into contact and field a high-tech ship I would be near useless against it). I can double back for the missiles (and the Fusion Bomb).
2415
I've captured Tau Cygni from the Mrrshans, but with only 6 population left. They have transport reinforcements on the way that were launched when they still held the planet, but now I don't know if I can destroy them all in orbit.
2416
Oh. My. God. Those Mrrshan transports? Some got through and recaptured Tau Cygni, with seven troops left. They stole Robotic Controls 3, Tundra, and the Neutron Pellet Gun. You've got to be kidding me.
The Darloks ask for peace again, and I refuse.
2417
Duralloy Armor hits. About time. I can now choose Automated Repair System or Reduced Industrial Waste 60%. I go for the auto repair system, it can be a great combat tech.
I also glass Tau Cygni out of spite. Frankly, it just takes too long to shuttle more transports up there, especially with the nebula. I'll just have to settle it the hard way. This breaks contact with the Mrrshans as well.
2418
OK, this is officially one of the weirdest games of Master of Orion I've ever played. I just glassed Nazin again from the Darloks. This broke contact again as well. I now have no diplomatic contact with any of the other races! None at all! There's just a huge emptiness down the middle of the galaxy. Those guys must think I'm a pretty mysterious threat: "What are the lizards doing out there?" I literally have nothing to fear right now. There's no election to worry about, my colonies are 100% safe, and I literally can't attack a planet if I wanted to. It's like an enforced turtling. So what I'll do is focus on research, and take the time to prepare a better fleet. I expect the Psilons to make some kind of sneaky move and we'll be on again, and I'll be ready.
2420
Inertial Stabilizer hits, cool! I'm back to the choices of Energy Pulsar, Fusion Drives, and Range 8. I need Range 8 to reach Toranor, but I choose Fusion Drives because I'm desperate for faster ships and transports. Plus, pair that maneuverability with the Inertial Stabilizer? Good luck hitting me, everyone!
2427
Battle Computer 3 and Fusion Drives hit. For computers, I have the same options: ECM 2, Improved Space Scanner, or Battle Computer 4. I choose the scanner, it will be extremely useful when war resumes. For propulsion, I have a new choice of Range 9. It's very expensive though, and since Range 8 is all I need at this time, I go for it.
Every colony but Zoctan in the south is fully maxed and contributing fully to research. I've been emphasizing or ignoring certain techs over others up to this point, but now I'll spread them out equally except for a focus in weapons.
2428
Neutron Blaster hits. I can now choose the Graviton Beam and Hard Beam. But first, I want the Fusion Bomb.
2429
The Psilons attack Vega with a colony ship and something of a real fleet, for once. There's one they call the Nova, a Huge class with Shield 5, Repulsor Beam, Auto Repair, a mix of Heavy Ion Cannons, Ion Cannons, and Heavy Lasers, plus 20 Death Spores. Even their medium ship, the Dark Star, has Shield 5. My Valkyries literally cannot damage these ships, since they're still sporting Gatling Lasers. I retreat. The Psilons settle, contact resumes, and they immediately ask for peace. I refuse. Don't they know I've been sitting around waiting for an opportunity like this? A look at the stats shows I narrowly edge them in total power. They still have better tech, and edge me in fleet strength. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. I'm about to design some new ships that will kill them good. There's a bit of good news, too -- where previously they were allied with everybody, now they have no alliances at all.
2431
I've stolen ECM 2 from the Psilons.
2432
Fusion Bomb hits. I follow up with Mass Driver. I'm pumping weapons tech really hard right now.
I flew my little bomber squadron over to Vega where the Psilons last settled, and I glassed it. Contact broke yet again.
However, we now have contact with the Bulrathis! They settled Neptunus down on the southern map border. Not sure how they got there, since it's far away from their core in the west/northwest and they only have an alliance with the Mrrshans, who I don't think are anywhere near this area. Anyway, the Bulrathi are weaker than me in every respect. I don't even bother diplomatic overtures, but I do start spying on them.
2433
Rankings of empire production: Sakkra, Psilon, Bulrathi, Mrrshan, Darlok.
2436
Mass Driver hits. I follow up with the Graviton Beam. This weapon is spectacular against swarms. Since I think I'm pretty well set up against Psilon larger class ships, I take this as insurance against small ships.
Time to start building up a new fleet. I start by scrapping my Scout 3s and CIA spy ships. It's long past time when unarmed scouts will do any good, but I do want a redesigned CIA ship, which is what I call a medium ship with maximum warp (Fusion Drives right now), reserve fuel tanks, and a battle scanner. Its purpose is to reconnoiter the enemy, especially their actual fleet design and composition. I need to see what the Psilons are up to.
I also commission a new bomber:
GLASSER
Medium
2x Fusion Bombs
1x Neutron Pellet Gun
Battle Computer 3
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuver 4
Inertial Stabilizer
I've maximized its defense -- this little baby is fast and hard to hit. With the spare space I can squeeze in a Neutron Pellet Gun, for a little extra kick. It'll come in handy, especially as a backup fighter against the less developed races.
Lastly, I send a current bomber squadron down to that Bulrathi world of Neptunus. I'm spying on them to try and get their Merculite missiles, but if that doesn't happen soon I may just glass the planet and break contact.
2439
My Valkyries got chased away from the Bulrathi planet Neptunus by the Mrrshans of all people. Also the Psilons have resettled Vega. I got a good look at their fleet and their tech, and as soon as the Automated Repair System hits (and the corresponding hull capacity increases) I'll design new space superiority ships.
2340
Looks like planet ownership got shuffled around some. The Psilons now own what I think was previously the Mrrshan colony at Obaca, and the Mrrshans were the ones to recolonize the former Darlok homeworld at Nazin.
2441
I steal hand lasers from the Bulrathis.
2442
I steal Improved Industrial Tech 9 from the Bulrathis. I also glass the Psilons at Vega yet again, and contact breaks.
2444
The Mrrshans recaptured Obaca from the Psilons. Good to see them squabbling.
2445
Yeah, they're shuffling worlds around. The Psilons took Nazin from the Mrrshans, which broke contact with the kitties but reopened contact with the Psilons (they asked for a peace treaty and I declined). I glassed the Bulrathis at Neptunus, which broke contact with them. So I'm back to only being able to talk to the Psilons again.
Automated Repair System hit. My new choice was Improved Industrial 6, but I went back for Reduced Industrial Waste 60%. I'm just not building many factories, but I could stand to reduce waste a bit.
Here's the new destroyer:
SPIRIT
Medium
1x Mass Driver
1x Neutron Pellet Gun
Battle Computer 3
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuverability 4
Inertial Stabilizer
Again, this ship will be damn hard for them to hit. The guns halve the Psilon shield strength. Now all I need is something to go up against their Huge design with Repulsor Beam:
TITAN
Huge
16x Heavy Blast Cannons (2 space range)
6x Neutron Pellet Guns
Battle Computer 3
Shield 2
Duralloy Armor
Fusion Drives (Warp 4)
Maneuverability 2
Battle Scanner
Automated Repair
Horrendously inefficient, but since I have no missile tech at the moment, this is the only way to kill that particular ship class. Worse, because of their automated repair, I'll need at least a 2:1 ratio to kill one of them. Expensive!
Now I'll start most colonies building all these ships, while I focus my limited research spending on Range 8.
2448
Current rankings of empire production: Sakkra, Psilon, Bulrathi, Mrrshan, Darlok.
2450
Well, the Darloks finally beat my Valkyrie at Crypto, and settled the planet, reopening contact. I've let all the races creep slightly eastward, as my Valkyries slowly became outclassed. Soon, though, I will make them pay. Some other good news: the Psilons are at war with everybody else! Good times. The galaxy has turned into a Bulrathi, Mrrshan, and Darlok coalition, fighting against independent and warring Sakkra and Psilon.
2454
I steal Anti-Missile Rockets from the Mrrshans. The Darloks ask for a peace treaty, and I decline as always. They must be kind of desperate -- I can see the Psilons over their world at Crypto.
2455
Improved Space Scanner hits. Sweet! This will be great for the upcoming galactic cleansing! The new option is Robotic Controls 4. I go for it. Man, the Psilons are putting the hurt on the Darloks, even if they have pushed another of my Valkyries away and settled Kronos in the galactic DMZ.
2458
Range 8 finally hits! Now we can escort and settle those distant green stars. I follow up with Range 9. With two Titans in service as well, time to scrap the Valkyries and begin what I hope will be the final war.
2459
Yes, on the very turn we begin fanning out across the galaxy, the Psilons ask for peace. Nope.
2460
I glass the Darloks at Kronos. In other news, a wealthy merchant decides to support my cause. Way to get on the winning side!
2461
I stole Controlled Barren from the Psilons, and Range 5 from the Mrrshans. The Mrrshans showed up in the south with a Huge ship that blew away my couple Spirits. However, since I just glassed them at Tau Cygni in the north, contact was broken.
2462
We just founded Tau Cygni in the north. It'll be a base of operations to wipe out the Mrrshans for good.
2465
And we've glassed and founded Toranor in the center of the galaxy.
2466
Nazin, last held by the Psilons -- glassed.
2467
Crypto, last held by the Darloks -- glassed. We also discovered Planetary Shield 5 -- cool. However, I haven't had to build a single missile base so far this game, so I don't go spending on shields yet either. This opens up Repulsor Beam, and I choose it.
2468
Ugh. The Psilons seem to have scrapped that Huge ship with the Repulsor Beam, and are now fielding a Large ship called the Sun Fire with one. I still managed to take the skies of their world Tauri, since the Sun Fire retreated, but this will be a pain to face all over the place. Good thing I have those two Titans.
A funny thing -- my relations are improving somewhat with everyone because even the guys I'm bombing are at war with the other guys I'm bombing!
2469
The Psilons at Tauri -- glassed.
2470
The Psilons at Obaca -- glassed. Darloks at Exis -- glassed. Psilons at Vega -- glassed. We've exploded across the galaxy, raining destruction from the skies.
2471
The Psilons at Berel, the furthest west I've penetrated -- glassed.
2472
The Darloks at Seidon -- glassed. This completes my extermination of the shapeshifters! This is followed by all three remaining races complimenting me for attacking their enemy.
2473
The current leaders of advanced technology: Psilon, Sakkra, Bulrathi, Mrrshan.
2474
The Psilon at Rigel -- glassed, and contact broke with them! I think they're down to only Mentar? When I settle Rigel, I can hit Mentar too.
2475
I founded Rigel in the south. I also glassed the Mrrshans at Fierias in the northwest. GNN reports I span 12 star systems. I take a look at the stats screen, and my total power is dominant, about double the Psilons and Bulrathis, more than three times the Mrrshans. For some reason the Psilons don't even have a single pixel of population showing, maybe someone else was bombing their planets earlier? I decide to focus research on propulsion to get Range 9, since I'm approaching the endgame, I seem to have enough ships already, and I just might need it to reach the Bulrathis.
2476 or 2477
Just glassed the Mrrshans at Iranha, and they have been exterminated. Beta Ceti is now poor, as well.
2478
Soil Enrichment hits. I follow up with Atmospheric Terraforming. I settle Irahna in the north, and glass the Psilons at Mentar (contact breaks yet again) and the Bulrathis at Obaca (they managed to sneak in there while I preoccupied with the Mrrshans).
2479
I founded Berel in the south. We gained supremacy over Ursa and glassed it, finally bringing a real fight to the bears. This is it, the endgame.
2480
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Psilon! I glass the Psilons at Draconis, and they're gone from the galaxy.
2481
I glass the Bulrathis at Rhilus, and contact breaks. I think there's only one world left, but I need to get a colony ship to Rhilus to reach it.
2483
Range 9 hits and I follow up with Star Gates. I also settle Rhilus. This could be it -- the last turn of the game. I have a huge fleet ready to strike at Quayal in the far west. And... we glass it. Game over!!!
Some thoughts: I really couldn't have imagined this would turn out as well as it did. It was weird not having any elections or building any missile bases, but my xenophobic militarist playstyle all came together. I was able to launch a war against the Humans before they had anything to stop me, and aggressively picketing the non-green stars paid off handsomely against the other races. The lull between 2418-2459 was perfect for teching up and building a next-generation fleet. And in the end, my ships were darting around and glassing worlds so fast, the other races were left stumbling around at slow warp speed like a bunch of drunkards. Great fun. The only loose end was that I didn't kill the Guardian of Orion.
FINAL RESULT -- VICTORY 2483 by extermination
