This is my first game report ever, so I Would appreciate any comments you have about any important information missing or unnecessary information given. Also, I’m not an English native speaker so you can expect some mistakes in my writing.
Initial thoughts about this imperia. Mrrshans on impossible with the Psilons present is a challenge by itself. But if you add the fact you are forbidden to use planetary reserves sounds crazy. That means you can’t accelerate new colonies growth curve (barring population transfer, of course) or cash-rush defense when a fleet is coming. That will require early detection of possible threats and early defense production on border worlds. On the other hand, as there’s no need on spending on planetary reserves, some micromanagement will be required to avoid excess industry/ecology production being wasted on reserves for no purpose.
2300: Start close to the SW corner of the galaxy with 3 stars in range: yellow to the NE, red to the NW and blue to the SW. Obvious choice for colony ship: yellow one, with best odds and push towards the center of the galaxy.
From yellow star analysis, we can expect 1 maybe 2 AIs in the SE corner, at least 2 on center, and 1 in the far NW. As there could be an AI in the yellow star 8 parsecs away, I send my starting scouts to the green and blue stars in that direction to start a scout blockade.
2302: Colony ship land in Xudax Terran 90. Great second planet, I start sending batches of 3 million people per turn until it reaches 1/4 of planet capacity. About 6 transfers will be enough.
It will require 7 more scouts to explore (and blockade) all the planets in range, so I start producing scout2s at Fierias.
2311: All scout reach destination. This is the map of known galaxy:
![[Image: image012.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image012.jpg)
Summary: 4 normal environment planets, 3 hostiles and 2 non-planets. No alien ships met so far, so no AI in the close yellow star. Two of the normal planets are in my back yard pretty safe from the AIs. Maretta (where the cursor finger is pointing) seems the key planet to grab, as it will allow expansion to the center of the galaxy. Can reach Reticuli (green star north to Fierias) with range 3, but then range 4 will be required to reach Maretta.
2317: Xudax at half pop capacity. Starts sending excess pop to Fierias.
2319: Fierias at 135 factories. Fierias starts on research at 20BC per turn while still building 8 factories/turn. Research spending allocation set at roughly 25% Construction, 25% Planetology, 50% Propulsion.
While most people in the Forums claim that the best opening is always to max your homeworld before doing anything else, I believe this is not always the case. On this particular map, it will only delay the colonization of Reticuli just a couple turns, but will put me ahead on several turns of range research. Hopefully, it will complete by the time I’m about to build my second colony ship.
2320: Research options:
- Construction: Reduced industrial waste 80% no option.
- Planetology: Improved Terraforming 10 and Improved Eco Restoration. Pick IER. Along with RW80 form the construction tree, it will cut pollution to 0.26 BC per factory*, which has a huge impact on both growth curve of new colonies and production output of mature ones.
- Propulsion: range 4 and range 5. Pick range 4 to reach Maretta.
*With default technologies every factory produces 1 BC and 1 industrial waste unit (IWU) and you must spend 1 BC to clean 2 IWU, which means every factory has a net production of 0.5 BC. With RW80 and IER, every factory produces 1 BC and 0.8 IWU and 1 BC cleans up 3 IWU, so cleanup cost per factory is 0.8/3=0.26BC. So factory net production is 1BC - 0.26BC = 0.74BC. That’s a 50% increase!
2327: Fierias maxed out both pop and industry. Start on Colony ship due in 4 turns. Xudax’s production split half on industry (3factories/turn) and half on research for 27RP/turn. Range 4 tech about to reach percentages.
2331: Colonu ship finished and sent to Reticuli. Start another one due in five turns. Range tech already at percentages.
2333: Range 4 completed. New research options: nuclear engines and range 6. Pick the engines as further range is not needed right now.
Starting research before maxing homeworld paid off as now I got the range tech about the time I needed it.
Research allocations changed at rougly 45% construction, 45% Planetology and 10 % Propulsion. Need those waste clean up techs asap. Miniaturization and cost reduction of colony ships won’t hurt either.
2335: Reticuli settled. New batch of scouts sent to the stars to north. Xudax now at 74 pop and 74 factories, send 23 colonists to Reticuli.
2336: New colony ship finished at Fierias, relocated to Reticuli, enroute to Maretta. Start another one due in 4 turns.
2337: Scout explore Berel ( yellow star north of Reticuli) finding a Jungle 85.
2338: Meklars small laser fighter chase away scout at Berel. Berel is now a priority to colonize as it is only 4 parsecs away form Reticuli and in Meklars range.
2339: Colony ship arrive at Reticuli. Sent to Berel.
2340: Colony ship finished at Fierias, relocated to Reticuli. Start another one.
2343: Berel Colonized. Met the Meklars:
![[Image: image013.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image013.jpg)
Meklar leader is an Erratic-Ecologist (eco-cyborgs??). Not good to have a Psychotic cyborg as close neighbor, only 4 parsecs away. Hopefully they will give me enough time to build some defenses out there.
Sign minimum trade agreement with the borgs, and send 23 pop from Xudax to Berel.
2344: Scouts explore Gion yellow star NE of Maretta with a steppe 65, Vulcan white star NW of Fierias with a desert 40 and Artemis the southern Meklar Colony. Can reach Gion with current range but Vulcan is 6 parsecs away and 4 parsecs from the Meklars colony of Artemis so I expect it to fall to the borgs sooner rather than later, as they already have range 4 or better because I met an armed ship of them at Berel (at 4 parsecs from Artemis).
2345: Fierias finishes colony ship relocated to Reticuli enroute to Gion. Starts another one.
2346: Maretta Colonized: met the Bulrathis.
![[Image: image014.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image014.jpg)
Leader is an Erratic-Expansionist. Another psycho just around the corner. This one seems that will be another typical Mrrshans game: cats fighting one war after another, from the start.
Same as before, sign minimum trade agreement.
Start sending 3 pop/turn from Reticuli to Maretta.
2347: Scout parked at Gion chased away by a Darlok’s escorted colony ship, shapeshifters settle the planet and we are put in contact:
![[Image: image015.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image015.jpg)
Shapeshifters are Aggressive-Technologists who only agree to minimal trade agreement. So far not a single race I can rely as friend, as good relacionship with Darloks is always difficult. At least I can hope for lots of war between AIs as erratic leaders declare war to everyone at random and Darloks are hated by all other races.
2349: Colship arrives at Reticuli and sent backwards to Hyboria, the blue star SW of Fierias, as Gion is no longer available for colonization.
Fierias finishes last colony ship, sent to Willow (yellow star SE of Fierias). Fierias resumes research duty, and Xudax production is set on factory construction.
2352: Hyboria and Willow settled. GNN droid announces that kitties have grown in strength and control 7 star systems.
Initial expansion phase is over as I can’t grab more planets without either controlled environment tech , long range colony ships or range tech.
2353: Improved Eco Restoration pops. Which means cleanup cost at Fierias is cut down form 100BCs to 67BCs, for extra 33BC/turn and growth rate of all other colonies is dramatically increased.
Research options are: IT+10, controlled tundra and IT+20. Pick IT+10 because is dirty cheap and now I have several planets close to max population that will benefit from it. I can wait a bit longer for controlled tundra as the planets it enables are pretty safe for now. Maybe I can lose Herculis Barren 10 east from Willow, but I will take my chances.
As RW80 is already at percentages, I now open research on all fields by pressing “=” button and then putting some emphasis on planetology by adding an extra click from all other fields.
2354: New research options:
- Computers: Deep scanner and Battle computer II. Pick BCII because is more useful than the scanner.
- Class II shield and no option as usual.
- Weapons: Hand Laser and Gatling Laser. Pick Hand Laser because it’s cheap.
2357: IT+10 discovered. Controlled Tundra next.
2358: RW80 complete. Pick Duralloy armor with no option.
Hand Laser finished. New options: Neutron Pellet Gun, Hyper-X and Fusion Bombs. Pick NPG because I need a gun and NPG is one of my favorite early game weapons.
2367: Class II shield discovered. Pick Class III no option.
Nuclear engine discovered. Range 7 is the only that moves the tree so I pick it.
2371: BCII pops. New options: ECM jammer II, Improved Robotics III and BCIII. Pick IRCIII of course.
Controlled tundra researched. Pick Enhanced Eco Restoration over IT+20 because is the only option that moves the tree.
Redesign colony ship, with tundra base and warp2, and build it in Fierias in 1 turn (I was already pre-building it).
2375: Herculis the eastern barren 10 world colonized. Put in contact with the Sakkras:
![[Image: image016.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image016.jpg)
Lizards are Aggressive-Diplomat and of course not very friendly towards me. Report indicate they are already at war with the Psilons, which is very good news. To my surprise they agreed to maximal trade agreement of 350BC. From the picture above we know that the only yellow star without flag is Mentar.
Berel maxed out. Start on missile base construction. It’s a border planet with those erratic AIs. Maretta will max out in a couple of turns and will do the same.
2378: NPG discovered. New options: Ion rifles, Merculites. Pick Merculites for defensive purposes. Put extra emphasis on weapons research.
2388: IRC3 researched. Pick Improved Space Scanner over ECM III.
Bulrathis offer a 200BC agreement which I accept. Offer NAP to them, accepted.
Sign NAP with Meklars.
Sign NAP and 350BC trade with Darloks.
2400: Merculites finished. Pick Fusion Beams over Antimatter bombs and Graviton Beam. Research set to “=”.
2405: Class III Shields finished. Pick Class IV with no planetary shield available.
Sakkras chase away my scout in Galos Inferno 20 (white star east form Reticuli) and settle it.
2407: Duralloy finished. Pick Automated Repair over IIT7 and RW60.
Range 7 finished. Pick Fusion drives over energy pulsar and warp dissipator.
2412: Meklars break NAP for no reason. I assume bad dice rolls for that erratic leader.
2413: Bears leader wakes up with his left foot and declare on me. The good thing is they only have Maretta within range and it has already 17 bases on it, so it’s pretty safe as Bulrathis only have Hyper-X for now. If they come up with fusion bombs or death spores it could get ugly. The bad news is that they are allied with the Lizards and they could easily drag them to war on me. Lizards and cats don’t get along very well in this game. I tried to ask Sakkras to break alliance with bears but they asked money, and the Mrrshans are too proud to commit bribery.
2417: Improved Space Scanner finished. Pick BC V over ECM IV.
Enhanced Eco finished. New Options: Soil enrichment, Bio toxin Antidote and Radiated landings. After thinking a lot, I picked the antidote because several races already have death spores.
2419: Darlok colony of Gion razed and resettled by the lizards.
2420: Fusion Beam finished. Pick Anti-matter Bombs.
2422: Sakkras declare war. I can’t say I wasn’t expecting it. Too bad my border colony of Herculis isn’t maxed yet. It starts on base production right away. It has none so far, a net planetary production of 40BCs (about 4 turns per base), and we are not allowed to use our planetary reserves. I start building some popgun fighters at Willow relocated to Herculis to discourage an attack on it. I am not sure it will work out, but that stratagem worked for me on previous games, as the AI tends to ignore planets with a fleet parked on it. It is not an exact science, but I can always hope.
2425: Sakkra colony of Gion razed and resettled by Meklars. Gion has officially become a hot potato. I hope the lizard fleets get distracted with that planet and delay attention towards my colonies.
2427: High council met for the first time: It’s me against the Sakkras.
Meklars vote for me. 3 votes.
Darloks vote for me. 2 votes.
Bulrathis vote for Sakkras. 2 votes.
Psilons vote for me. 2 votes.
Sakkras vote themselves. 5 votes.
I vote myself. 7 votes and win with 14 out of 21 votes.
RESULT: diplomatic victory in year 2427 with 7 votes casted by me, no threats made and no colonies lost, for a total of 50+50+7=107 points.
Some pictures:
![[Image: image017.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image017.jpg)
![[Image: image018.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image018.jpg)
![[Image: image019.jpg]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/report_archivos/image019.jpg)
The bars show that I am leader in population and planets which we already knew from the council vote, and that I’m about to catch up with the AIs leaders in both production and technology, the two most important categories in the game. Of course, I’m nowhere close in fleet strengths but that is standard for a human player on impossible level at this stage of the game. I haven’t met the Psilons yet, so I can’t see theirs stats, but I believe they should have some lead in tech as usual, but from the council vote I know they are weak in population and should be among the weakest races in production and fleet strength (they are usually pacifists and non militaristic).
Overall, I’m in good shape if I decided to continue this game. Too bad, that I’m sure I won’t be able to hold Herculis if the Lizards come after it. I think I made a mistake on colonizing that tiny planet that turned out to be a border world with an aggressive AI. If you consider the variant rules and scoring system of this imperia it is better to leave those planets alone as they can’t defend themselves and they may cost several points. On the other hand, the Meklars have a scary fleet of hundreds of big ships. As their best weapon so far is Fusion Bombs, I expect those ships will be carrying lots of them.
Initial thoughts about this imperia. Mrrshans on impossible with the Psilons present is a challenge by itself. But if you add the fact you are forbidden to use planetary reserves sounds crazy. That means you can’t accelerate new colonies growth curve (barring population transfer, of course) or cash-rush defense when a fleet is coming. That will require early detection of possible threats and early defense production on border worlds. On the other hand, as there’s no need on spending on planetary reserves, some micromanagement will be required to avoid excess industry/ecology production being wasted on reserves for no purpose.
2300: Start close to the SW corner of the galaxy with 3 stars in range: yellow to the NE, red to the NW and blue to the SW. Obvious choice for colony ship: yellow one, with best odds and push towards the center of the galaxy.
From yellow star analysis, we can expect 1 maybe 2 AIs in the SE corner, at least 2 on center, and 1 in the far NW. As there could be an AI in the yellow star 8 parsecs away, I send my starting scouts to the green and blue stars in that direction to start a scout blockade.
2302: Colony ship land in Xudax Terran 90. Great second planet, I start sending batches of 3 million people per turn until it reaches 1/4 of planet capacity. About 6 transfers will be enough.
It will require 7 more scouts to explore (and blockade) all the planets in range, so I start producing scout2s at Fierias.
2311: All scout reach destination. This is the map of known galaxy:
Summary: 4 normal environment planets, 3 hostiles and 2 non-planets. No alien ships met so far, so no AI in the close yellow star. Two of the normal planets are in my back yard pretty safe from the AIs. Maretta (where the cursor finger is pointing) seems the key planet to grab, as it will allow expansion to the center of the galaxy. Can reach Reticuli (green star north to Fierias) with range 3, but then range 4 will be required to reach Maretta.
2317: Xudax at half pop capacity. Starts sending excess pop to Fierias.
2319: Fierias at 135 factories. Fierias starts on research at 20BC per turn while still building 8 factories/turn. Research spending allocation set at roughly 25% Construction, 25% Planetology, 50% Propulsion.
While most people in the Forums claim that the best opening is always to max your homeworld before doing anything else, I believe this is not always the case. On this particular map, it will only delay the colonization of Reticuli just a couple turns, but will put me ahead on several turns of range research. Hopefully, it will complete by the time I’m about to build my second colony ship.
2320: Research options:
- Construction: Reduced industrial waste 80% no option.
- Planetology: Improved Terraforming 10 and Improved Eco Restoration. Pick IER. Along with RW80 form the construction tree, it will cut pollution to 0.26 BC per factory*, which has a huge impact on both growth curve of new colonies and production output of mature ones.
- Propulsion: range 4 and range 5. Pick range 4 to reach Maretta.
*With default technologies every factory produces 1 BC and 1 industrial waste unit (IWU) and you must spend 1 BC to clean 2 IWU, which means every factory has a net production of 0.5 BC. With RW80 and IER, every factory produces 1 BC and 0.8 IWU and 1 BC cleans up 3 IWU, so cleanup cost per factory is 0.8/3=0.26BC. So factory net production is 1BC - 0.26BC = 0.74BC. That’s a 50% increase!
2327: Fierias maxed out both pop and industry. Start on Colony ship due in 4 turns. Xudax’s production split half on industry (3factories/turn) and half on research for 27RP/turn. Range 4 tech about to reach percentages.
2331: Colonu ship finished and sent to Reticuli. Start another one due in five turns. Range tech already at percentages.
2333: Range 4 completed. New research options: nuclear engines and range 6. Pick the engines as further range is not needed right now.
Starting research before maxing homeworld paid off as now I got the range tech about the time I needed it.
Research allocations changed at rougly 45% construction, 45% Planetology and 10 % Propulsion. Need those waste clean up techs asap. Miniaturization and cost reduction of colony ships won’t hurt either.
2335: Reticuli settled. New batch of scouts sent to the stars to north. Xudax now at 74 pop and 74 factories, send 23 colonists to Reticuli.
2336: New colony ship finished at Fierias, relocated to Reticuli, enroute to Maretta. Start another one due in 4 turns.
2337: Scout explore Berel ( yellow star north of Reticuli) finding a Jungle 85.
2338: Meklars small laser fighter chase away scout at Berel. Berel is now a priority to colonize as it is only 4 parsecs away form Reticuli and in Meklars range.
2339: Colony ship arrive at Reticuli. Sent to Berel.
2340: Colony ship finished at Fierias, relocated to Reticuli. Start another one.
2343: Berel Colonized. Met the Meklars:
Meklar leader is an Erratic-Ecologist (eco-cyborgs??). Not good to have a Psychotic cyborg as close neighbor, only 4 parsecs away. Hopefully they will give me enough time to build some defenses out there.
Sign minimum trade agreement with the borgs, and send 23 pop from Xudax to Berel.
2344: Scouts explore Gion yellow star NE of Maretta with a steppe 65, Vulcan white star NW of Fierias with a desert 40 and Artemis the southern Meklar Colony. Can reach Gion with current range but Vulcan is 6 parsecs away and 4 parsecs from the Meklars colony of Artemis so I expect it to fall to the borgs sooner rather than later, as they already have range 4 or better because I met an armed ship of them at Berel (at 4 parsecs from Artemis).
2345: Fierias finishes colony ship relocated to Reticuli enroute to Gion. Starts another one.
2346: Maretta Colonized: met the Bulrathis.
Leader is an Erratic-Expansionist. Another psycho just around the corner. This one seems that will be another typical Mrrshans game: cats fighting one war after another, from the start.
Same as before, sign minimum trade agreement.
Start sending 3 pop/turn from Reticuli to Maretta.
2347: Scout parked at Gion chased away by a Darlok’s escorted colony ship, shapeshifters settle the planet and we are put in contact:
Shapeshifters are Aggressive-Technologists who only agree to minimal trade agreement. So far not a single race I can rely as friend, as good relacionship with Darloks is always difficult. At least I can hope for lots of war between AIs as erratic leaders declare war to everyone at random and Darloks are hated by all other races.
2349: Colship arrives at Reticuli and sent backwards to Hyboria, the blue star SW of Fierias, as Gion is no longer available for colonization.
Fierias finishes last colony ship, sent to Willow (yellow star SE of Fierias). Fierias resumes research duty, and Xudax production is set on factory construction.
2352: Hyboria and Willow settled. GNN droid announces that kitties have grown in strength and control 7 star systems.
Initial expansion phase is over as I can’t grab more planets without either controlled environment tech , long range colony ships or range tech.
2353: Improved Eco Restoration pops. Which means cleanup cost at Fierias is cut down form 100BCs to 67BCs, for extra 33BC/turn and growth rate of all other colonies is dramatically increased.
Research options are: IT+10, controlled tundra and IT+20. Pick IT+10 because is dirty cheap and now I have several planets close to max population that will benefit from it. I can wait a bit longer for controlled tundra as the planets it enables are pretty safe for now. Maybe I can lose Herculis Barren 10 east from Willow, but I will take my chances.
As RW80 is already at percentages, I now open research on all fields by pressing “=” button and then putting some emphasis on planetology by adding an extra click from all other fields.
2354: New research options:
- Computers: Deep scanner and Battle computer II. Pick BCII because is more useful than the scanner.
- Class II shield and no option as usual.
- Weapons: Hand Laser and Gatling Laser. Pick Hand Laser because it’s cheap.
2357: IT+10 discovered. Controlled Tundra next.
2358: RW80 complete. Pick Duralloy armor with no option.
Hand Laser finished. New options: Neutron Pellet Gun, Hyper-X and Fusion Bombs. Pick NPG because I need a gun and NPG is one of my favorite early game weapons.
2367: Class II shield discovered. Pick Class III no option.
Nuclear engine discovered. Range 7 is the only that moves the tree so I pick it.
2371: BCII pops. New options: ECM jammer II, Improved Robotics III and BCIII. Pick IRCIII of course.
Controlled tundra researched. Pick Enhanced Eco Restoration over IT+20 because is the only option that moves the tree.
Redesign colony ship, with tundra base and warp2, and build it in Fierias in 1 turn (I was already pre-building it).
2375: Herculis the eastern barren 10 world colonized. Put in contact with the Sakkras:
Lizards are Aggressive-Diplomat and of course not very friendly towards me. Report indicate they are already at war with the Psilons, which is very good news. To my surprise they agreed to maximal trade agreement of 350BC. From the picture above we know that the only yellow star without flag is Mentar.
Berel maxed out. Start on missile base construction. It’s a border planet with those erratic AIs. Maretta will max out in a couple of turns and will do the same.
2378: NPG discovered. New options: Ion rifles, Merculites. Pick Merculites for defensive purposes. Put extra emphasis on weapons research.
2388: IRC3 researched. Pick Improved Space Scanner over ECM III.
Bulrathis offer a 200BC agreement which I accept. Offer NAP to them, accepted.
Sign NAP with Meklars.
Sign NAP and 350BC trade with Darloks.
2400: Merculites finished. Pick Fusion Beams over Antimatter bombs and Graviton Beam. Research set to “=”.
2405: Class III Shields finished. Pick Class IV with no planetary shield available.
Sakkras chase away my scout in Galos Inferno 20 (white star east form Reticuli) and settle it.
2407: Duralloy finished. Pick Automated Repair over IIT7 and RW60.
Range 7 finished. Pick Fusion drives over energy pulsar and warp dissipator.
2412: Meklars break NAP for no reason. I assume bad dice rolls for that erratic leader.
2413: Bears leader wakes up with his left foot and declare on me. The good thing is they only have Maretta within range and it has already 17 bases on it, so it’s pretty safe as Bulrathis only have Hyper-X for now. If they come up with fusion bombs or death spores it could get ugly. The bad news is that they are allied with the Lizards and they could easily drag them to war on me. Lizards and cats don’t get along very well in this game. I tried to ask Sakkras to break alliance with bears but they asked money, and the Mrrshans are too proud to commit bribery.
2417: Improved Space Scanner finished. Pick BC V over ECM IV.
Enhanced Eco finished. New Options: Soil enrichment, Bio toxin Antidote and Radiated landings. After thinking a lot, I picked the antidote because several races already have death spores.
2419: Darlok colony of Gion razed and resettled by the lizards.
2420: Fusion Beam finished. Pick Anti-matter Bombs.
2422: Sakkras declare war. I can’t say I wasn’t expecting it. Too bad my border colony of Herculis isn’t maxed yet. It starts on base production right away. It has none so far, a net planetary production of 40BCs (about 4 turns per base), and we are not allowed to use our planetary reserves. I start building some popgun fighters at Willow relocated to Herculis to discourage an attack on it. I am not sure it will work out, but that stratagem worked for me on previous games, as the AI tends to ignore planets with a fleet parked on it. It is not an exact science, but I can always hope.
2425: Sakkra colony of Gion razed and resettled by Meklars. Gion has officially become a hot potato. I hope the lizard fleets get distracted with that planet and delay attention towards my colonies.
2427: High council met for the first time: It’s me against the Sakkras.
Meklars vote for me. 3 votes.
Darloks vote for me. 2 votes.
Bulrathis vote for Sakkras. 2 votes.
Psilons vote for me. 2 votes.
Sakkras vote themselves. 5 votes.
I vote myself. 7 votes and win with 14 out of 21 votes.
RESULT: diplomatic victory in year 2427 with 7 votes casted by me, no threats made and no colonies lost, for a total of 50+50+7=107 points.
Some pictures:
The bars show that I am leader in population and planets which we already knew from the council vote, and that I’m about to catch up with the AIs leaders in both production and technology, the two most important categories in the game. Of course, I’m nowhere close in fleet strengths but that is standard for a human player on impossible level at this stage of the game. I haven’t met the Psilons yet, so I can’t see theirs stats, but I believe they should have some lead in tech as usual, but from the council vote I know they are weak in population and should be among the weakest races in production and fleet strength (they are usually pacifists and non militaristic).
Overall, I’m in good shape if I decided to continue this game. Too bad, that I’m sure I won’t be able to hold Herculis if the Lizards come after it. I think I made a mistake on colonizing that tiny planet that turned out to be a border world with an aggressive AI. If you consider the variant rules and scoring system of this imperia it is better to leave those planets alone as they can’t defend themselves and they may cost several points. On the other hand, the Meklars have a scary fleet of hundreds of big ships. As their best weapon so far is Fusion Bombs, I expect those ships will be carrying lots of them.
![[Image: orion_017_rich.png]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/pictures/orion_017_rich.png)
![[Image: orion_018_depleted.png]](http://maxpower.host-ed.me/moo/rbo37/pictures/orion_018_depleted.png)
