Imperium 23
Colony ship goes to S yellow, scouts to NW white and SW red while more produced. Settle yellow Primodius (Terran 95) and send 11,3,2 from HW. Good neighborhood with lots of habitables in range, 2 big planets to N plus one small/one UP/one medium to S. Regular contact to S where Human scout then Silicoid scout chased from UP Maretta plus Psilon scout then Human colony ship from far green Ryoun. Early tech opens Construction & Planetology with only options RW80 and IT+10. With Meklars, push RW80 for a few turns, deposit from HW then more from single factory colony, before starting IT+10. RW80 hits in 2323, choosing II8 (over Duralloy) and GNN announces Bulrathi to 6 colonies. I seed II8 then open Propulsion with R4 only choice. IT+10 hits in 2326, seeding IT+20 (over Tundra, Dead). More traffic in S with Psilon & Human (& later Silicoid) colony ships at UP Maretta and green Ryoun leaves key decision whether to expand first to lucrative N or threatened S. I settle N Selia (fertile 85) in 2333 with 14 from HW then S Klystron in 2338 with 13 from Primodius. I also discover W green Toranor (UR Toxic 20) in Nebula at range 5.
First vote arrives, in 2339(!), me v. Bulrathi for 18 votes. Bulrathi(4)+Sili(2) with Mrr(3), Hum(3) & Psi(3) abstaining so I add my (3) to bears. Vote numbers suggest a fairly balanced galaxy population. Next year R4 hits, choosing Warp2 (over R6, IS). I settle N Kulthos in 2343 with 15 from Selia and discover II8, choosing RW60 (over II7, ARS). I open remaining tech fields with BC2, DS2 & Hyper-V. With all the traffic at UP Maretta making it look classic spud material, I avoid it although this cuts me off from Ryoun, a contentious decision. IT+20 [with II8] will allow LR colony ships if LR DEFs can hold out that long. First contact is relaxed 4PE Humans (Err/Ind) in 2347 at range6 with Sol just WNW of Ryoun. Second vote after 2349, me v. Mrrhsan for 21 votes. Mrrshan(4)+Hum(3) with Bul(4), Sili(2) & Psi(4) abstaining so I add my (4) to cats. The Mrrshan and Psilon (plus me) have risen to 4 votes from last time, matching Bulrathi. Mrrhsan are first race listed so is this the rule for equal votes? It would mean you are always nominated with matching votes to any potential candidate, as in first vote.
IT+20 hits in 2350, choosing Toxic (over Inferno, IT+30). LR colony is now produced and sent to Ryoun. As it approaches, an armed Human colony with escort settles UP Maretta and I defend Ryoun against another armed colony ship. Warp2 hits in 2357, choosing Warp3 (over R7). Next year settling Ryoun with 25 from Klystron greets relaxed 7PE Silicoids (Agg/Exp) and neutral 6PE Psilons (Hon/Tech). Cryslon is SSW of Ryoun and Mentar SW of Ryoun with a 4-way alliance excluding cats & me. The Psilons have a big tech lead. After founding Ryoun I quickly bolster the vulnerable colony with reserves and a large battleship which is nearly wiped out by an armed Psilon colony ship (2xH.Ion, BS, BC2, DS2)! By contrast the Silicoid and Human attempts at poaching were a breeze. Humans settle barren Stalaz, just below UR Toranor. Things are looking up in the late sixties with BC2, Hyper-V & DS2 making way for ECM2, Ion Cannon & PDS. However my spy report on the Psilons in 2372 shows them with Toxic, Warp Dissipator & Fusions Beams! Thanks for that! Spies also manage to steal R5 from Silicoids but get caught so rocks drop to Tense and issue warning. Still this allows me to defend UR Toranor with more than LR DEFs and invade if someone pinches it first (Psilons excluded of course!).
Third vote after 2374, me v. Psilon for 29 votes. Psilon(6)+Mrr(4) with Bul(4), Sili(5) & Hum(4) abstaining so I add my (6) to brains. My growth is keeping pace with the best of the rest but with nowhere near (or likely to get soon) a block and the tech-happy Psilons the opposition this could get ugly. Still Toxic is close and production has risen sharply so I can accelerate techs with no immediate threats. Humans or Silicoids look to be fair game once I get some decent military tech. Toxic hits in 2378, choosing Soil (over BTA). As my colony ship approaches UR Toranor, two armed Silicoid colony ships at the planet won't take no for an answer so are buried there. Toranor is settled in 2382 meeting neutral 6PE Bulrathi (Agg/Eco), Ursa is W of Toranor. Quickly RW60, Warp3 & ECM2 are replaced by Zortium, Warp4 & ISS. Toranor is rushed to readiness, maxing in 2390, and Soil hits in 2392 (Cloning only new option) boosting economy again.
Research, stealing and exchanging sees many tech gains until 2398 when the only things awaited for my pre-built ARS Huge Fusion Beam plus Fusion bomber death fleet are Zortium & Warp4 which are very close. The Silicoids DOW'd due to stealing IS but missile bases have held strong at Ryoun even against their Spore fleet. The Psilons even offered a NAP which I accepted. Problem is the Psilons are now allied to everyone except the Humans and me. I may need to ask them to DOW on my enemy, their rock allies. 2399 sees Zortium hit (II5 next) and Warp4 in double digits. Another Silicoid fleet is dispatched from Ryoun and my forthcoming fleet will decimate them. But a double disaster happens. The Humans ally with the brains AND the brains cancel our NAP withdrawing their diplomat! Now I am running out of diplomacy options and have to hope one of the races has a last minute change of heart or I will lose the vote. Asking to break their Alliance with the Psilons had no chance with Wary Aggressive Bulrathi and Relaxed Erratic Humans declined.
After 2399, vote for 38: Psilons[8]+Mrr(4)+Bul(5)+Sili(7)+Hum(6) plus me[8]
Well I made it unanimous. I had been looking forward to taking out lesser races until I could face the mighty Psilons who were already up to Tachyon Beam amongst others. A little unlucky perhaps but I should have engaged others earlier and improved the diplomatic situation sooner. Could I have avoided the vote loss in 2399? Well yes, putting enough transports in the air could remove me from being a candidate. If I have to be below the next best votes, Silicoids 7, then about 140 would do it, say between Meklon & Primodius for the loss of 2 turns of their production.
Still I do get a score!
Result: Diplomatic defeat at 2399-2400 vote
Score:
Game complete = 500
Victory before 2600 = 0
Planets at end: 7 x 5 = 35
Planets founded: 6 x -25 = -150
Final score: 500 + 0 + 35 - 150 = 385
Pictures: 2399 Map & 2399 Status [For some reason all image loads fail with 'invalid image file' so attached as zip]
Colony ship goes to S yellow, scouts to NW white and SW red while more produced. Settle yellow Primodius (Terran 95) and send 11,3,2 from HW. Good neighborhood with lots of habitables in range, 2 big planets to N plus one small/one UP/one medium to S. Regular contact to S where Human scout then Silicoid scout chased from UP Maretta plus Psilon scout then Human colony ship from far green Ryoun. Early tech opens Construction & Planetology with only options RW80 and IT+10. With Meklars, push RW80 for a few turns, deposit from HW then more from single factory colony, before starting IT+10. RW80 hits in 2323, choosing II8 (over Duralloy) and GNN announces Bulrathi to 6 colonies. I seed II8 then open Propulsion with R4 only choice. IT+10 hits in 2326, seeding IT+20 (over Tundra, Dead). More traffic in S with Psilon & Human (& later Silicoid) colony ships at UP Maretta and green Ryoun leaves key decision whether to expand first to lucrative N or threatened S. I settle N Selia (fertile 85) in 2333 with 14 from HW then S Klystron in 2338 with 13 from Primodius. I also discover W green Toranor (UR Toxic 20) in Nebula at range 5.
First vote arrives, in 2339(!), me v. Bulrathi for 18 votes. Bulrathi(4)+Sili(2) with Mrr(3), Hum(3) & Psi(3) abstaining so I add my (3) to bears. Vote numbers suggest a fairly balanced galaxy population. Next year R4 hits, choosing Warp2 (over R6, IS). I settle N Kulthos in 2343 with 15 from Selia and discover II8, choosing RW60 (over II7, ARS). I open remaining tech fields with BC2, DS2 & Hyper-V. With all the traffic at UP Maretta making it look classic spud material, I avoid it although this cuts me off from Ryoun, a contentious decision. IT+20 [with II8] will allow LR colony ships if LR DEFs can hold out that long. First contact is relaxed 4PE Humans (Err/Ind) in 2347 at range6 with Sol just WNW of Ryoun. Second vote after 2349, me v. Mrrhsan for 21 votes. Mrrshan(4)+Hum(3) with Bul(4), Sili(2) & Psi(4) abstaining so I add my (4) to cats. The Mrrshan and Psilon (plus me) have risen to 4 votes from last time, matching Bulrathi. Mrrhsan are first race listed so is this the rule for equal votes? It would mean you are always nominated with matching votes to any potential candidate, as in first vote.
IT+20 hits in 2350, choosing Toxic (over Inferno, IT+30). LR colony is now produced and sent to Ryoun. As it approaches, an armed Human colony with escort settles UP Maretta and I defend Ryoun against another armed colony ship. Warp2 hits in 2357, choosing Warp3 (over R7). Next year settling Ryoun with 25 from Klystron greets relaxed 7PE Silicoids (Agg/Exp) and neutral 6PE Psilons (Hon/Tech). Cryslon is SSW of Ryoun and Mentar SW of Ryoun with a 4-way alliance excluding cats & me. The Psilons have a big tech lead. After founding Ryoun I quickly bolster the vulnerable colony with reserves and a large battleship which is nearly wiped out by an armed Psilon colony ship (2xH.Ion, BS, BC2, DS2)! By contrast the Silicoid and Human attempts at poaching were a breeze. Humans settle barren Stalaz, just below UR Toranor. Things are looking up in the late sixties with BC2, Hyper-V & DS2 making way for ECM2, Ion Cannon & PDS. However my spy report on the Psilons in 2372 shows them with Toxic, Warp Dissipator & Fusions Beams! Thanks for that! Spies also manage to steal R5 from Silicoids but get caught so rocks drop to Tense and issue warning. Still this allows me to defend UR Toranor with more than LR DEFs and invade if someone pinches it first (Psilons excluded of course!).
Third vote after 2374, me v. Psilon for 29 votes. Psilon(6)+Mrr(4) with Bul(4), Sili(5) & Hum(4) abstaining so I add my (6) to brains. My growth is keeping pace with the best of the rest but with nowhere near (or likely to get soon) a block and the tech-happy Psilons the opposition this could get ugly. Still Toxic is close and production has risen sharply so I can accelerate techs with no immediate threats. Humans or Silicoids look to be fair game once I get some decent military tech. Toxic hits in 2378, choosing Soil (over BTA). As my colony ship approaches UR Toranor, two armed Silicoid colony ships at the planet won't take no for an answer so are buried there. Toranor is settled in 2382 meeting neutral 6PE Bulrathi (Agg/Eco), Ursa is W of Toranor. Quickly RW60, Warp3 & ECM2 are replaced by Zortium, Warp4 & ISS. Toranor is rushed to readiness, maxing in 2390, and Soil hits in 2392 (Cloning only new option) boosting economy again.
Research, stealing and exchanging sees many tech gains until 2398 when the only things awaited for my pre-built ARS Huge Fusion Beam plus Fusion bomber death fleet are Zortium & Warp4 which are very close. The Silicoids DOW'd due to stealing IS but missile bases have held strong at Ryoun even against their Spore fleet. The Psilons even offered a NAP which I accepted. Problem is the Psilons are now allied to everyone except the Humans and me. I may need to ask them to DOW on my enemy, their rock allies. 2399 sees Zortium hit (II5 next) and Warp4 in double digits. Another Silicoid fleet is dispatched from Ryoun and my forthcoming fleet will decimate them. But a double disaster happens. The Humans ally with the brains AND the brains cancel our NAP withdrawing their diplomat! Now I am running out of diplomacy options and have to hope one of the races has a last minute change of heart or I will lose the vote. Asking to break their Alliance with the Psilons had no chance with Wary Aggressive Bulrathi and Relaxed Erratic Humans declined.
After 2399, vote for 38: Psilons[8]+Mrr(4)+Bul(5)+Sili(7)+Hum(6) plus me[8]
Well I made it unanimous. I had been looking forward to taking out lesser races until I could face the mighty Psilons who were already up to Tachyon Beam amongst others. A little unlucky perhaps but I should have engaged others earlier and improved the diplomatic situation sooner. Could I have avoided the vote loss in 2399? Well yes, putting enough transports in the air could remove me from being a candidate. If I have to be below the next best votes, Silicoids 7, then about 140 would do it, say between Meklon & Primodius for the loss of 2 turns of their production.
Still I do get a score!
Result: Diplomatic defeat at 2399-2400 vote
Score:
Game complete = 500
Victory before 2600 = 0
Planets at end: 7 x 5 = 35
Planets founded: 6 x -25 = -150
Final score: 500 + 0 + 35 - 150 = 385
Pictures: 2399 Map & 2399 Status [For some reason all image loads fail with 'invalid image file' so attached as zip]
