Sorry for replying here, I just registered and seems I'm not yet able to post new threads.
I've been playing MOO a long time, usually on impossible but since I want to play for relaxing I play with Meklars who are able to come back even when behind in planets. I wanted to try something different so I rolled a start with Bulrathis (Impossible, Small, 5 oponents: Silicoid, Sakkra, Klaclom, Meklar, Psilon). The start is good as there are two habitable (Dessert and Steppe) planets 3 parsecs away behind and there are 3 Terran worlds within 4 parsecs (fuel cells 4 are available to research). However the tough part comes from bordering on Meklars and Klackons. I think this should be winnable with good play however I don't know how to hold on to planets that I can grab being the Bulrathis. By the time I have 2-3 bases and 2 6-heavy laser large cruisers, Meklars have huge 40 heavy lasers dreadnought.
I'm including turn 1 save, playing on 1.3 (can also patch to 1.4).
(June 25th, 2018, 10:21)Ianus Wrote: Ooh fun! Is your issue that you get steamrolled by the bugs and mechs? That is quite a list of opponents!
Yes, there are 3 terran worlds to the west which are all 4 parsecs. I can grab them but I can't consolidate defenses. A good part in winning a MOO game means grabbing as much as you can expect to hold and hold on to it. So if I grab 2 terran planets west of Ursa I can't defend them against huge 1-laser klackon stacks or Meklar dreadnought. I feel if I don't hold on to those planets the Ursa + 2 planets behind are not enough to come back and there is no other space to expand. There is no way to get any decent defences in time.
Generally, especially with Meklars you can win without early expansion if you have two good planets when you're a bit isolated. Research planetology and Robotics III or IV, research auto repair, duraloy or better, repulsor, neutron blasters or better. Then start grabbing space. Bulrathi are good for early rush/choke strategy, especially if you can slow AI growth with reserve fuel tanks bombers.
Cool. How far out have you played? Could you post any kind of report on your play? If you are getting pressure from ships armed with lasers you must be in extremely early war. With that being said researching even the first level of force fields (Deflector Shield II) will neutralize lasers against your bases.
This sounds like fun! I'll attempt to play this one out sometime in the next few days.
Edit: rereading your initial post it looks like you say you don't know how to hold onto planets you grab as the Bulrathi. Do you mean invade and conquer as the Bulrathi? If so then I think I found your problem...
(June 25th, 2018, 12:42)Ianus Wrote: Cool. How far out have you played? Could you post any kind of report on your play? If you are getting pressure from ships armed with lasers you must be in extremely early war. With that being said researching even the first level of force fields (Deflector Shield II) will neutralize lasers against your bases.
This sounds like fun! I'll attempt to play this one out sometime in the next few days.
Edit: rereading your initial post it looks like you say you don't know how to hold onto planets you grab as the Bulrathi. Do you mean invade and conquer as the Bulrathi? If so then I think I found your problem...
I got to 6 planets. I chose to let the AI build colony ships being the bulraty for the two yellow and one green stars. It is also good as with Bulrathi about 40 troops survive which is enough to build a base in 10 turns. The problem is that Klackons and/or Meklars also want those world and they started wiping out my 2-3 destroyers and bases. Once they have fleet in orbit it's just a matter of time and without at least two of those worlds one cannot research fast enough to be able to claw additional planets. Remaining boxed in against the two will result in a loss.
Heh, I just played the first ~60 turns and I have the exact same six planets. The difference is that I settled them all myself and am not at war with anyone. I did have to threaten the Klackons to keep them off of those two yellow stars but trade is taking care of that.
(June 25th, 2018, 14:31)Ianus Wrote: Heh, I just played the first ~60 turns and I have the exact same six planets. The difference is that I settled them all myself and am not at war with anyone. I did have to threaten the Klackons to keep them off of those two yellow stars but trade is taking care of that.
I replayed and resarched hyper V, battle comp II, shields II, class V comp and settled the worlds myself. Still after some time Klackons came with bombers that could bust my planets and had neutron blasters while I still lacked ion cannons. While I can hold the 3 planets for a while they don't contribute much because they've been building missile bases. I think if you can hold on until robotics IV and those planets coming online and then be able to scorch Klackon worlds you have a chance.
(July 11th, 2018, 16:05)utwig Wrote: Has one planet challenge been done before? On Simple/Small it's probably doable.
Imperium 27 was a One-Planet Challenge on Hard(!) difficulty in a Small galaxy. Five players played and reported, all of them victories! I'm not sure if it's been tried on Impossible though....
(July 11th, 2018, 16:05)utwig Wrote: Has one planet challenge been done before? On Simple/Small it's probably doable.
Imperium 27 was a One-Planet Challenge on Hard(!) difficulty in a Small galaxy. Five players played and reported, all of them victories! I'm not sure if it's been tried on Impossible though....
Wasn’t that pre-patch though? I’m not sure in 1.4 an Impossible OCC wine is particularly viable.
There’s also a potential issue of “can’t win if I don’t have unlimited range” since you basically can’t win by a vote yourself and there will usually be worlds 14+ parsecs away.
