Bitten by the MoO bug again

[haphazard1]

After the "What do we want to see in Civ 6" thread got going and classic 4X games including MoO were brought up, I found myself wanting to play the game again. It has been quite a long time since I played, and I was never a master of Impossible difficulty. So I am starting with a "warm up" game at Average as the Humans, and plan to post about my game here so people can remind me of things I have forgotten, throw rotten veggies, and otherwise kibbitz about how I am doing everything wrong.

I chose a Medium galaxy with 5 opponents. I started roughly in the middle of the southwest quadrant of the galaxy. There was only one star in range of Sol, a yellow to the south -- there better not be an AI there or this game will end right quick. But Kailas was empty of other species, and in fact was a size 60 Steppe fertile artifacts world! (I was not aware a world could be both fertile and artifacts, but that is what the screen reported.) The tech found was Gatling Lasers; could have been better but could also have been worse. I will gladly take tech level 5 in weapons in 2303, thank you very much.

Here is a shot from a few turns later, when I had gotten some NuScouts fanning out.



You can see a pair of yellows to my southeast, a trio in the central east, a couple across the north, a pair to the northwest, and one each tucked into the southeast and southwest corners. I sure hope there isn't anyone at the southwest corner yellow, but I am thinking an alien civ at the two to my southeast is probably inevitable. One in the northwest pair, at least one in the center east trio, and the other two alien civs could be anywhere.

My opening was probably sub-optimal, it's been a long time since I played. I built NuScouts from Sol for the first two turns to get initial recon info, and sent the first batch east and south. Need to know right away if anyone is at that closer yellow.

By 2307, my initial scouts were reporting that our galactic neighborhood was ridiculously lush:



7 out of 9 planets habitable, with no less than 5 Terran worlds! Two 90s, a 95, a 100, and this gem:



Size 125 fertile! I can already picture it seeding all these other worlds with new colonists. It seems like MoO is welcoming me back with open arms.

There is just one itty bitty problem: the only world in range from Sol and Kailas is that Tundra world to the west. All these other juicy targets are 4 or 5 parsecs away. I am going to need range tech to settle them, and there are those yellows very close by....

And the very next turn my scout retreats a Meklar scout from Omicron, that beautiful fertile 125. The cyborg capital must be at the farther east of those two yellows I was worrying about. I am going to need to protect these future jewels of the Human empire, and that means some LR popguns while I push Propulsion tech as hard as possible. If I can grab even as much as the five Terran planets and the Jungle to the west, I would have 8 excellent planets: more than enough of a core to push for victory on Average. And with even modest luck I will get a fair bit more than just those eight.

So I designed a LR fighter to discourage alien poaching of MY worlds.



With the Gatling Laser tech pulled from Kailas giving me Weapon tech level 5, I was able to fit 2 lasers on the medium hull with some room left over. I could have added a computer but it would have boosted the cost by more than a third, and this early it would be painful to build these ships as it was. I built one for Omicron and another for Talas, the Terran 100 at the nearer yellow to the southeast. Then Sol went back to working on factories.

My scouts found a couple more good planets, along with some hostiles. Then in 2314 my scout at Zhardan in the northwest retreated an Alkari scout.



The birds must be at one of the northwest pair of yellows. Sol pauses factory construction to crank out another LR Laz1 for Zhardan; hopefully I can delay the Alkari long enough to claim it myself.

The following turn I retreat a Meklon scout from Talas, and decide it is time to open research and start pushing Propulsion so I can actually settle some of these worlds. Normally I would wait longer so the second world could develop further, but with Kailas being an artifacts planet it can already push a respectable number of RP per turn - -enough to beeline some range.

I put in 20 RP. Let's see what's behind the curtain:



I decide to take the cheap ECM I so I can hopefully jump ahead to something better in the next rung.



I again take the cheaper option wth IIT9. It will be useful and advance me to the next rung. I can always come back for RW80% if I don't get other clean up techs.

Force Fields is Class II Deflectors of course, and Planetology only has Improved Eco which I am happy to take. (Heh, IIT9 looks even better now.)



Lots of choices for Weapons due to the Gatling Laser pull. I pick Hyper-V as I may need some teeth for early missile bases. NPG or Ion Cannon would be lovely, but at this point the research cost (3000 RP for Ion Cannon! ) is just too much for my economy.

What's that? I skipped showing Propulsion? That's because I only had one option - Range 5. The much cheaper Range 4 would have been enough to reach almost all of these worlds, directly or by chaining off new worlds. But I will have to make the longer push. I get started:



I left one tick in the other fields, but I am not sure if this is actually needed after just opening the techs. Anyone know for certain?

Quiet years pass with Sol working on factories and Kailas pushing about 50 RP each turn while slowly adding some factories. Sol is fully maxed out by 2329 (late, I know, but those LR fighters cost time) and has started a colony ship for Omicron while waiting for Range 5 to pop. GNN reports we are #1 in tech, which is not really good news. I would have prefered to do no research at all while settling a bunch of worlds.



Psilon at #5 is worrying. They probably are settling a bunch of systems.

Range 5 finally pops in 2331 after reaching the mid 30s. Only choice is Inertial Stabilizer. A nice tech, but the Propulsion tree has been very skimpy so far with only one choice per rung. I reset research 50/50 on IIT9 and Improved Eco.

The colony ship is ready the following year and sets out for Omicron. Sol takes a turn to build some NuScouts to explore the soon to be in range systems, then resumes colony ship work.

In 2336 the huge fertile world of Omicron is added to the Human empire.



As expected, this brings us into contact with the Meklar.



Hmmm, interesting response. A quick check reveals:



It has been a long time since I last played, but this seems like an unusual combo for the cyborgs from what I recall. Especially the Ecologist aspect given their poor Planetology.

I sign the machines to the largest deal available (75 BC) and hope to improve relations over time. As Humans I will also benefit more from the trade income than they will. :D

As expected, Meklon is the other yellow to the southwest and their second world gave them the range to reach Omicron.



I sent one less than the maximum possible from Kailas to seed Omicron -- I kept the extra one as it had factories to work. This seriously crunched development on Kailas, which has already been taking one for the empire by funding research. But as a fertile artifacts world that will be its fate for quite some time to come. With all these very big worlds to seed, I am going to need a lot of pop. Omicron will soon be able to help -- 125 fertile! -- but even it will not be enough. Not sure this was optimal, but I did not see a better option.

Three years later IIT9 popped at 4%. Always nice to get an early hit.



With Improved Eco soon to pop, I chose Duralloy to advance up the tree. All research spending is moved to Planetology for now so I can stop burning so much of my output on clean up.

The following turn a NuScout enters a new system to the northwest and encounters a Darlok scout, which retreats. I have to assume the Darloks already scouted the system, and are either in that northwest pair (with the Alkari?) or at the yellow in the center north. Despite its potentially strategic position, Firma is not a desirable system:



Yuck. Very decent size, but who wants that for a frontier system? Something like this is MUCH more attractive:



A size 70 artifacts world? Yes, please! :D And what do I pull from the ruins of this ancient world?



This world could not be reached to be scouted without Range 5. Oh well...at least it is worth a tech level.

My NuScouts are reporting in on worlds around the Meklars. There is a Tundra 50 to their north; I also arrive at Helos, their second world (sent the ship before I made contact, wouldn't have bothered a xenophobe otherwise). The cyborgs have 4 colony ships, 4 mediums, and a small armed ship in orbit. I leave quickly.

Speaking of xenophobes, relations have improved due to the trade pact:



And a check of the graphs (forgot this earlier):



Production, fleet, and total power from just 2 worlds -- yep, that's the Meklar.

I hit end turn, and hello, who is this?



I was already at Xendalla (which is truly miserable little chunk of rock), so it seems unlikely that Mentar is that yellow just NE. Plus that would put all of the Alkari, Darloks, and Psilons in those three yellows in the northwest part of the galaxy. Maybe the Psilons made an alliance and got the range that way? No way to tell just yet, but the situation bears watching. The Sakkra might have the entire northeast to themselves.

A couple years later in 2344 Sol finishes another colony ship and I take time to build a fighter to defend my new colonies from these alien races buzzing around.



The GatLaz1 has 9 laser cannon equivalents, for only about 35% higher cost than the LR Laz1 which has only 2 lasers. Extended fuel talks are useful, but boy do they cost you in space. I work on getting at least one of these out to each of my worlds that even might be within range of the Meklars. After finding another Tundra world to their northeast, they look to be rather pinned in. And they may try to expand through me.

I also open all six fields and equalize research, as Improved Eco has reached 19%. Time to start making progress on the other fields.

As the first GatLaz1 rolls out the very next year, I meet someone new to the northeast of the Meklar:



A Sakkra planet, not just a scout. So I guess the lizard capital must be in that trio of yellows in the center east. They have 2 groups of 4 smalls, armed as they advance, and I leave quickly.

Improved Eco pops, and I adjust clean up spending. Ah, quite a relief for my economy. We will want more clean up techs later, but this is a good start. My new choices:



Hmmm, tough choice here. But after checking my reference chart to confirm Controlled Tundra will advance me to the next rung, I take the cheaper tech. There are three Tundra worlds I am aware of so far (one being the only other world in range at the start) and no Dead worlds yet. Not that I am likely to get the two Tundras near the Meklars, with the Planetology-happy lizards next door. But it will give me one world for sure and move me up the tree faster.

I am not happy to be missing both Terraforming +10 and +20. Aren't humans supposed to be good at Planetology? Why couldn't I have a terraforming tech instead of Death Spores? Oh well. It isn't like my worlds aren't huge already. But I really hope Terraforming +30 is available.

The following year is 2346, and Humanity adds Talas and Ukko to its growing empire:





Ukko brings us into contact with the Sakkra:



Another interesting greeting...these Sakkra are Pacifistic Technologists. Did someone turn on the random personalities option without telling me? This definitely seems odd, at least to my recollections of the game. Anyway, I sign the lizards up to the largest available deal of 100 BC per year. Relations are already at Relaxed and should only get better.

The lizards are doing pretty well for themselves and have as many planets as I do.


I doubt their worlds are as good as mine, though. :D And I still have seven more habitable planets to grab, with very good odds of getting most if not all of them. (That yellow in the southwest corner has been confirmed as empty, and is a habitable although crummy Minimal 35.)

The current graphs:



Plenty of work to do yet, although I am off to a very strong start. Hopefully I will have a chance to play further and report more over the weekend. Let me know what you think, whether you would like to see more, and how you would already be out to 10 worlds.

[Catwalk]

Dedlurker signing in!

In my experience it pays off nicely to start on Planetology research right away, especially if you can micro manage the amount required for max research bonus. With just one tech it's easy to keep track, and Planetology is by far the best field early on. You get a massive discount on colony ships with early Planetology tech, along with the bonuses it confers it's more than enough to pay for itself. IER is the best choice, followed by IT+10. Propulsion is good, but it gives almost no discount on colony ships as colony modules require minimal power. It may seem counter intuitive, but with range tech required for further colonization it actually pays off even better to get IER before the first colony ship. So that's how I'd be at 10 planets by now

[orion24]

There was only one star in range of Sol, a yellow to the south -- there better not be an AI there or this game will end right quick.

Welcome back to this excellent game. The minimum distance between your home world and an AI home world is 8 parsecs, at least in version 1.3.

Sakkra and Meklar personalities are nothing unusual either. Typical for Sakkras to be pacifistic, typical for Meklars to be Xenophobic.

[haphazard1]

Dedlurker signing in!

Hi Catwalk! Great to see you here, thanks for dropping by my game.

I believe Humans are rated good in Planetology? (Although maybe I am looking at out-dated info, as with the personalities.) IER is certainly very useful to save cash and to discount colony ships, but I don't think the savings at this point would have allowed for 9 colony ships rather than four.

Welcome back to this excellent game. The minimum distance between your home world and an AI home world is 8 parsecs, at least in version 1.3.

Thanks for the info on homeworld distance -- useful to know. Is there a simple way to check the version of the game? I am playing from a GOG.com install, so I am not sure exactly which version I have. It is probably right out in the open on a screen somewhere, I tend to miss things like that.

I have been thinking about the game, and I am worrying about whether I can hold onto my new worlds if the Meklars decide to come for me. It has been too long since I played a game that allowed "small" wars without official declarations. Well, we will see how it goes. There is a reason I decided to start with an Average game rather than jumping right back into tougher difficulties.

[Catwalk]

Yeah, I believe they're Good at Planetology and Computers. While I wouldn't have been at 10 planets, I think it might have been enough to add at least one planet by now. The returns on IER are massive, especially at Average difficulty level. You get two production bonuses (worker productivity + waste reduction) and a massive colony ship discount. The cost system works on a diminishing returns system, where the first levels matter a lot more than later ones. I always go for IER before the first colony ship if it's available, it is game breakingly good!

The concept of small wars is great, would be awesome to have in Civ6 (posted about it over there). Main thing is to prevent opportune invasion fleets, which only happen if they manage to station a fleet above your world. Being able to fight off small fighter fleets is crucial initially, and they're best fought with fighters until you can get a base up (with shield II). NPG is an amazing early weapon, you're lucky to have it in your tech tree. I'd definitely go for that after Hyper-V (I'd have gone for Hand Lasers first, they're useful and Hyper-V are duds). Enemies tend to put shields on their ships sooner than it makes sense to do so, and even without shields on enemy ships NPG is still better than lasers.

I think equalized research is wasteful, as not all techs are same value to you. Pick whatever you need the most and optimize research, then scale it down once it hits early percentages. In order to optimize research, you need to be at the optimal research level (7.5% of current total points invested) and then increase your research by 22.5% each turn. Example of early Planetology research:
- Open the field with 2 RP (you lose 10% on an unopened field)
- Invest 39 RP
- Invest 3 RP => 49 RP at EOT, 3 is still optimal
- Invest 3 RP => 58 RP at EOT, 4 is optimal
- Invest 4 RP => 70 RP at EOT, 5 is optimal
- Invest 5 RP => 85 RP at EOT, 6 is optimal
- 100 => 7
- 121 => 9
- 148 => 11
- 181 => 13
- 220 => 16
- 268 => 20
- 328 => 24
- 400 => 30
- 490 => 36
- 598 => 44
- 730 => 54
- 892 => 66
- 1090

This is quite doable throughout the game if you research one tech at a time. For multiple techs, the easiest thing is to leave it at one tick once it has reached 10% or whatever number you're comfortable with (low percentages have good payoffs unless you need it urgently). Then either multiply your research by 0.98 or simply ignore that last 2%.

[haphazard1]

I have already been thinking about going back for Hand Lasers -- ultra cheap and +5 gropo is actually pretty significant. Hyper-Vs will become duds later, as do all early weapons, but they will be useful for a while.

I am aware of the benefits of trickle research, but I rarely bother to calculate it exactly. It is just more trouble than I want to take while playing, most times. And I get some of the benefit by equalizing my research anyway, as my total research spending is still rather small and is split across all fields. Once the initial burst of colony ship construction ends (which is going to take rather longer than usual in this game ) and Sol can contribute to research things may change.

[toddestan]

I've never consider the advantage of grabbing IER in terms of reducing the cost of colony ships. Is it also advantageous to grab the cheap Controlled Barren tech for the same reason, even if there aren't any barren planets around?

[haphazard1]

I've never consider the advantage of grabbing IER in terms of reducing the cost of colony ships. Is it also advantageous to grab the cheap Controlled Barren tech for the same reason, even if there aren't any barren planets around?

IER does reduce the cost of colony ships, but the effect is not all that large. Helpful yes, but component cost reduction and miniaturization are incremental things. The big boost from IER is cutting your initial waste cleanup costs, which are very sizable with only the starting techs in effect.

[Catwalk]

haphazard, I don't have the numbers here but the effect is large. I recall it being a 20-25% cut. If you have IT+10, Barren colony tech and IER in your starting tech tree along with only Death Spores on the next rung, I'd definitely research all 3 (in that order) before Death Spores. The miniaturization and the production bonus (Planetology tech makes your colonists more productive) will be well worth it.

As for research plans, I think you're at a disadvantage haphazard. Not only from lack of research optimization, but more so from equalizing the tech sliders. Imagine doing that in Civilization! "I'll put 20% of my beakers in Iron Working, 20% in Currency, 20% in Monarchy, 20% in Organized Religion and 20% in Metal Casting". That'd be an absolute disaster! Technologies do not have the same value to you, and getting tech A in 10t and tech B in another 10t rather than getting both of them in 20t means you get the benefit of tech A for 10t for free!! Yes, I just added another exclamation mark there

Concerning trickle research, it's really not a whole lot of effort and it has big effects early on. You can make an Excel spreadsheet to whip out a range of numbers in no time, or you can use the above table for a starting investment of 40 RP. You can easily get a 10% bonus over what you would with semi random allocation, requires minimal effort. I always do it for my first 2-3 techs, then usually get bored and sloppy but still do it halfway.

[haphazard1]

Quick recap of the first session: By 2346 I was out to five worlds with more waiting to be claimed as quickly as colony ships could be cranked out. But I had also established contact with two alien species (Meklar and Sakkra) and fended off scouts from the rest (Alkari, Darlok, and Psilon). Pressure to grab the available worlds was growing. Could I stake my claim -- and make it stick -- on the juicy targets in my portion of the galaxy?

My goals for the second session of this game were simple. First, grab the two remaining big Terran worlds nearby plus the Ocean artifacts world to the west (which would require settling the jungle world to reach it). And second, actually hold on to all this real estate as the AIs start stepping up the pressure. I was especially worried about the Meklar, whose two planets were directly to my southeast and who appeared to have few other options for expansion.

Now to get back to work on dominating the galaxy.

Colony ships continued to be built and sent out, and I still had a couple scouts fanning out as newly settled planets extended my reach. In 2349 scouts reported from Uxmai, a size 35 Inferno Rich world southeast beyond the Meklar. This would be a nice world to claim later if I can.

The cyborgs certainly drew an unfortunate start, surrounded by hostile worlds except for Omicron. Things would certainly have been different if they had gotten that size 125 fertile gem. But I have no intention of letting it out of my grasp, and plan to grab those two tundra planets if I can beat the Sakkra to them.

Two years later ECM I pops, and my choices for the next rung are a little...constrained.

Well, my gamble on taking the cheap tech and advancing has not really paid off. Nothing to do but start working on ECM II and hope for more choices in the next rung. Not having Robotic Controls III may hurt down the road, but I would not want it right now anyway while my new colonies are building their initial industry.

The following year I retreat a Sakkra scout from recently scouted Uxmai. I am guessing the Sakkra will beat me to these hostile worlds near the Meklar, but delaying them is still worth doing.

More unwelcome news:

Blah. The AI is generally poor at dealing with pirates, and as Humans I love trade. This is going to cost me a lot of lost income.

2353 sees the Human empire expand again, claiming the fourth of the five Terrans we intially scouted.

This triggers the first (1/8) pop warning. Fear the growing power of Humanity! I shuffle pop for the new world, but with all these large base size planets I will struggle for some time with not having enough available. I do the best I can, and will take advantage of fertile size 125 Omicron repeatedly to seed new worlds.

A few turns later Class II shields pop. I actually get a choice for once:

I take the Personal Deflectors for improved gropo, and also as being a little cheaper. I can get some better ship shields later, although hopefully Planetary V will be available in the next rung. Humans are supposed to be the best Force Field experts in the galaxy, after all.

The Sakkra come calling and suggest an NAP. I think about it for a bit:

There are those two tundra worlds north of the Meklar plus the barren further north, along with infernos to my north and the rich one south of the Meklar. But if the lizards really want those worlds I am not going to be able to stop them, and with so many better habitable worlds available to me I am not going to fight for them. So I agree.

2357 sees two more worlds added to the Human empire.

All five Terran worlds are now flying my flag, and the jungle will allow me to reach the artifacts Ocean world to my west plus the steppe world in the northwest where I retreated an Alkari scout. The land grab is going perfectly so far.

Hyper-V pops the next year, and I go back for the cheap Hand Lasers gropo tech.

2360 sees a scout reach the central yellow star north of the nebula, and it turns out to be Nazin!

The cursor is pointing to Nazin. The white star between us is an Inferno, size 10. The range from my closest colony must be just over 5 parsecs, so no contact yet.

A look at the races summary a couple years later shows the Meklar are definitely struggling:

They appear to have scrapped much of their earlier fleet. From the tech bar they are pouring everything they have into propulsion or planetology or both. At least with that fleet rating I feel a bit safer about them trying to take Omicron or Talas away from me.

2363 sees the northwest steppe world of Zholdan added to the Human empire, bringing contact with a new race.

Not very welcoming, are they? But a check of the map perhaps explains why:

The cursor is pointing to Altair at the closer yellow. The birds are not doing any better than the Meklar. Xenophobic militarists...I am just as glad they aren't doing any better.

Pretty significant fleet strength but poor tech, hopefully I can handle them if they decide to come for Zholdan. I sign them to the biggest trade deal available (150 BC) despite ongoing pirate activity to boost relations.

Also, look back at that map: the Sakkra have claimed a sixth world in the northeast. With the Alkari owning both northwest yellows and the Darloks located at the center yellow, where are the Psilons? I am guessing one of the three free yellows in the east/northeast, but it is possible they are down in the SE corner.

Hand Lasers pop in 2365, and I choose Ion Cannons over NPG for the possibility of the heavy version.

The same year sees Regulus added to the Human empire. I have plans for this world....

Also, the Sakkra have claimed a seventh world, the barren just east of the central nebula. The lizards are definitely my prime opposition, with everyone else stunted so far.

A few more years of research sees Controlled Tundra pop. I am not liking my Planetology tree very much:

No Terraforming +10, +20, or +30? At least I have clean up techs. I consider Controlled Inferno -- there are two I know about, including that rich world southeast of the Meklar. But I decide to pick Enhanced Eco to cut clean up costs further and to advance. Controlled Toxic is not present, so maybe Radiated will be in the next rung?

I design a Tundra colony ship and switch Sol from an almost-finished regular colony ship to the new design. I had to wait a couple turns for the tech to pop so I was able to pre-build using the placeholder which is always helpful.

Personal Deflectors pops a couple years later, and I am pleased to see Planetary Shield V is available. I gladly select it -- my worlds will be much safer once this tech is completed.

ECM II pops the following year, and again I am lacking in new choices:

No IRC III. No Improved Scanner. That is two Computer rungs in a row with no choices -- I am not Poor in this field am I? At least BC IV is a useful tech and advances the tree.

I settle Firma, the Ultra-Poor world in the northwest. The Alkari have not claimed it, so why not? I do not plan to build any factories here, and will just grow pop and run a little research.

In more interesting news, the Meklar have settled a third planet to the east. I don't know if it was range or hostile planet tech (I have not been able to reach Xengalla to scout it) but they are expanding -- and not through me.

I add Galos, the minimal world in the far southwest corner, to my empire and trigger the second warning on GNN. Humanity is powerful!

2374 sees the High Council convene for the first time. I am nominated along with the Sakkra -- no surprises there. 21 total votes, so 14 are needed. Let's see how the galactic political alignments stand.

Alkari have 2 votes, cast them for me. Good birdie!
Meklar have 2 votes, cast them for the Sakkra. Bad cyborgs, bad!
Psilons have 3 votes, abstain. At least they aren't voting for the lizards.
Sakkra have 5 votes, obviously theirs.
Darloks have 2 votes, cast them for me. Hmmm, we don't have official contact so they must be unhappy with the Sakkra. Conflict for territory?

And I have 7 votes. So 4 for me, 7 for the Sakkra; I can't win and I can't vote for the Sakkra without giving them the game (bad cyborgs, bad!). Abstain it is.

Checking the map reveals the Meklar have grabbed a fourth world further east, that was probably the trigger for elections although the Darloks or Psilons could have settled worlds.

I settle the closer of the eastern tundra worlds, Rha, in 2375.

I had fully expected the Sakkra to grab these two tundra planets, but if the lizards are going to snooze I will just go ahead and plant my flag. :D

We also get a random event announcement:

Ouchie for the cyborgs! This is their third world, only recently claimed. They just have not had much luck this game. The good kind, anyway. But the Meklar voted for the Sakkra, so we will point and laugh -- they deserve it! :neenernee

And of course since it is 2375 we repeat the entire High Council ceremony from last turn, exactly as it was before. Guess the whole thing was so nice everyone wanted to do it twice.

Inertial Stabilizer pops a couple years later, and again I have only one choice: Sub Light Drives. What is up with all these near-empty rungs? Oh well, I was going to choose the drives anyway so I can build some actual mobile fleets.

In 2379 I finally settle Esper, the tundra world right by Sol that has been sitting there, taunting me, all game. The same year sees the Meklar grab a fifth world, the yellow in the far southeast corner. Whatever was holding the cyborgs back earlier is obviously no longer an issue.

The very next year the cyborgs come calling and suggest an NAP. Well, all the worlds in their region are now claimed, except for tundra Crius (to which I already have a colony ship en route) and the rich inferno world. So I agree. Maybe I can boost relations enough to get their vote next time?

In 2381 a scout exploring north of the Alkari reports back on Dunatis, an Ultra Rich inferno world. Hmmm, maybe I should have gone for Controlled Inferno after all? Still, I don't actually have the range to reach either of the nice inferno worlds and with sub light drives research only recently started I won't for some time to come.

We also get a reminder from GNN that pirate activity continues to depress trade. Stupid lizards, what are they doing with their fleet?

Duralloy pops, and we have a choice of new techs for a change:

Both ARS and IIT7 would be useful, although the ARS looks better as most of my worlds are well along in factory construction (or maxed out) and IRC III was not available. By the time I get IRC IV (if it is available) I will have time to come back for IIT7 or get the following tech. But I decide to go back and grab the now relatively cheap RW80% to further reduce clean up costs.

2383 sees Crius, the second tundra world near the Meklar, added to the Human empire. Our flag now flies over 15 worlds.

A scout also reports valuable information from the east:

He retreats quickly, but not before confirming that this is Mentar. Right next door to Sssla, wow. So now we know the capitals of all the alien races. The Psilons must be squeezed in northeast of the Sakkra, which would fit with their only having three votes in the High Council.

We also get a very short, abruptly terminated transmission from a scout in the far northwest beyond the Alkari.

RIP, brave explorer. You will be remembered.

Poor birds. Orion and hostiles all around them, and it looks like they probably needed range 5 to reach even those.

Relations with the races we have officially contacted are good.

Out position in the galaxy is quite strong, other than our fleet.

And with Planetary Shield V and Ion Cannons soon to pop and other research ripening:

Our military position will soon be significantly stronger. Already the first duralloy-reinforced, Hyper-V firing defense bases have gone up on all our maturing frontier worlds. Ion Cannon armed ships will soon be sent to defend our newest claims in the east.

There are still a few very hostile environment worlds left to claim, but the main land grab phase of the game is over. Pressure for military conflict will be growing rapidly from this point onward.