Imperium 23 - Jeff H's First Imperium

[RefSteel]

To get around an odd forum problem, I'm opening this thread for Jeff H's first Imperium report.

So, welcome!

[jeffh]

Thank you, RefSteel (and Maniac for your offer to do the exact same thing). And greetings everyone else!

I've been a Master of Orion fan for a long time but have only recently learned about this forum. Though I couldn't sign up due to a bug in the registration system (fixed sometime in the last day or so), I've been lurking for about two weeks and I'm excited about what you have happening here, particularly the work on new patches. This looks like exactly the gathering of MOO nerds I've been wishing for for a long time.

This was my first stab at Impossible in many years. A long time ago I used to play on that level all the time, and could win more games than I lost, including at least one as every race except the Silicoids (including my only attempt at the Medium-5-Kittycats setup the OSG cites as the hardest possible MOO setup). My favourites were the Sakkra (who I think some here underestimate, possibly due to their very poor performance under the AI - but I contend that that happens because of the personality bug that's been identified elsewhere on this forum always sticking them with Pacifist leaders!). So while there are no doubt people here who know more than me I am no spring chicken at this game.

Anyway, regarding this particular Imperium. I didn't do so amazing, losing the council vote in 2400, but at least I died for an interesting reason, which I'll get to in a moment. My score was:

• Finishing at all: 500
  
• Planets controlled: 5 x 5 = 25
  
• Planets colonized: 4 x -25 = -100
  
• Total: 425
  

Looking at the setup, and subsequently discovering that Maretta was an ultra poor, I decided to build up the 5-planet S-shaped region you start in to the greatest extent possible, which was relatively difficult for anyone else to threaten; sort of like those people who like to play Risk by getting a nearly unassailable early capture of Australia and expanding outward from there.

As I always do, I focused heavily on Planetology; figuring this was Impossible level and the Meklars are supposed to suck at that field, I thought I'd probably be at best third in pop for a while. I was wrong. Having just finished maxing out my pop after getting IT+30, I ended up being one of the candidates in 2400. Unfortunately the Humans had built up a huge alliance which also involved the Sillies, who where the other candidate, and everybody being all buddy-buddy with the Humans seemed, in this case, to mean everyone was all buddy-buddy with the Silicoids as well, and voted for them. (The Humans' Erratic leader hadn't managed to entirely sabotage himself yet, obviously.)

Had I realized this was going to happen, I'd have tried harder to drive wedges into the various alliances. I was counting on the council vote to do that, figuring someone would almost certainly have to vote against an ally, never realizing I'd be one of the candidates. So it was one of those games where I was a victim of my own success.

I see Sargon had more planets (ironically, scoring less as a result). I lost the race for Ryoun to the humans but as far as Maretta was concerned I never had any intention of colonizing it. Ultra-poors are more trouble than they're worth in my experience, especially as the Meklars, even before factoring in the scoring rules. But maybe grabbing that instead of holding out for a long-range colony ship would have let me get Ryoun. As the Meklars, though, you don't need a huge number of planets and have the luxury of focusing more on developing the ones you have. I'm sure this was very winnable if I could replay my last 10 turns or so with foreknowledge of the diplomatic and developmental situation (but obviously I can't do so in an official Imperium run)

[jeffh]

Looks like, having posted five times, I can post attachments. So here's a much more detailed summary of my first 60 turns (I never wrote the last 40, which in any event would have been sparser - writing this out started out being fun but got to be a drag after a while).

[RefSteel]

Thanks for attaching that report! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I'm sorry it got to be too much to keep up with after a while - but I also definitely understand. Writing crazy in-character reports happens to be something I love to do, but the only reason to do it is because (and IF) it's fun. A summary (like the one you provided here in the earlier post) or turnlog is often as good (or better) for comparison purposes, among other things.

Just to throw the idea out there: I think even ultra-poor planets can pay for themselves quite adequately, though I never build any factories on the things ... errrr ... outside of Imperium 19....
Maretta's utility as a "Military Academy" for instance - by which I believe Maniac means "population farm for invasion troopers" - has significant potential; I know I used it that way throughout my game, though I also acquired it by the means you were planning: Using it as a honey-pot to trap a factory-building AI.

In spite of disagreeing on little points like that, I think yours looks like quite a well-played game; as you said, you were in large part the victim of your own successful expansion. (I was still at four total worlds in 2400, and not nominated for election. And by 2425, of course, I was well into my first offensive.) I look forward to seeing you in future Imperia!

[jeffh]

Thanks for the comments, Ref. I should point out that the detailed report reflects how things looked to me with no foreknowledge and so may appear to conflict with things in the shorter one in the actual post; the diplomatic situation, in particular, developed very differently from where it looked like it was going in 2360.

I will colonize an ultra-poor only if necessary for a positional advantage, or with ground troops. They never seem to build up fast enough to even make good soldier factories, though Poors are quite acceptable for this purpose. Arguably, the first of these may have been sufficient reason in this case, but it didn't look like it to me until I became seriously worried about losing the race for Ryoun.

I think my next game will be another Impossible run as the Meklars, though. I haven't played them in ages and they sure make for some different dynamics than most other races.

[sargon0]

I will colonize an ultra-poor only if necessary for a positional advantage, or with ground troops. They never seem to build up fast enough to even make good soldier factories, though Poors are quite acceptable for this purpose. Arguably, the first of these may have been sufficient reason in this case, but it didn't look like it to me until I became seriously worried about losing the race for Ryoun.

UP's are a disappointment but provide position, expansion pop, troops and votes. Not sure what you mean by slow build-up since all their production is going to Tech unless terraforming. UP's (like Poors) tend to be large (possibly fertile) and grow population just as fast as any non-hostile world. As Planetology advances their high population can give a reasonable production for non-industrial use and useful cover in tech when other planets are terraforming or increasing factories after IT+nn/RCx discoveries.

Having said that, I avoided UP Maretta here also although it was very plausible. I decided against due to heavy traffic, Impossible, being Meklar, scoring (only slightly) and fair chance for Ryoun anyway. Heavy traffic meant little chance for expansion beyond plus need to protect with ships and I did not want to be tied down or risk wars too early. A difficult decision and dependent upon each person's game at the time. I can't disagree with your choice but I think you still seem a little over-pessimistic about UP's prospects in general.

[Maniac Marshall]

I settle UP's all the time, only rarely not bothering to. Heck, I build factories, on them sometimes, including this game where I maxed factories, built planetary shields and 9 bases, though possibly I shouldn't have. As the number of planets we had was so small, and the tech hole potentially so large, I likely should have just put it's production towards tech, but I wanted the planet to be able to build shields and bases in an emergency, since it was front line, and that required building at least some factories to speed up the process...

As sargon said, the people there vote, and provide pop for other planets when expanding (a great use for them on many maps), marines, and can do research while your regular+ planets build ships.

Now, on a large/huge map, when I find those odd size 30 or so Ultra Poor's that are front line and provide no stepping stone to a useful planet... I DO avoid those. Best to let the AI have those so you will have an easy place to bomb them later if needed for a relations boost with other races in most cases.

[jeffh]

I don't find them good for research at all. Being perpetually short on factories, they simply don't have the production to create very many RPs relative to their size. Unless, of course, you've held them for a long, long time. Or better yet, some other sucker held them for a long, long time before you smashed through their subpar defences and conquered them.

Similarly, their ability to rapidly regrow pop is unpenalized on paper, but crippled in practise because without factories, they just don't have the production. I find I get more use out of a midsized world with normal growth than a huge UP.

[sargon0]

Certainly a UP is inferior to other worlds despite its size, position is the main reason to own them. However you do not force spend to regrow pop on them. This is done on normal worlds to rework the factories but you have none on UP's you settled so just let them grow back naturally while using the tech slider. What they provide in tech is small but over time it still adds up to a useful contribution and any extra tech is worthwhile.

We may have to disagree somewhat over UP's but lets not distract over your well played game despite the unfortunate outcome. Hope you will try other Imperia.
[Edit] I should also mention I enjoyed the attached in-character report. Very engaging and lovely quips like 'meatbags', 'high-five' and 'Sneaky Poo'.

[Maniac Marshall]

[Edit] I should also mention I enjoyed the attached in-character report.

Couldn't agree more.

As to the actual game, it's definitely hard luck to lose the vote on your part, especially having only five planets and still having enough pop to be nominated.