A good example of coming from behind with the Darloks

[rgp151]

Just finished up a fun game with Darloks on Impossible. It was a classic case of being able to come from behind with them. Overall, Darloks are certainly my favorite race to play, even though Klackons are stronger. I had to go back to old saves to get pics, and I didn't have saves for all the best times, so there are some gaps. This was Impossible Medium map. 

Started out with a decent map and some challenging opponents:
   

The close green star on the lower right ended up being Ultra Poor, but I went ahead anyway. 

For quite a while I only had contact with the Silicoids and Mrrshan. I was planning to go against the Silis but then the Klackons got involved and I decided to go after them instead, as they were a softer target. I had been able to acquire a good selection planets early on by setting the forward planets ASAP and then filling in my back field, which you'll see in the next map. I started spying almost right way, but made sure to start trade agreements on the first turn of meeting and also gave some minor tribute.

I met the Psilons around 2447:

   

   

I was worried when I saw them, as they looked to be a good bit ahead and with a sizable population. I got spies in ASAP to see what they had. 

   

   

Looked like they were pretty well ahead. I was contemplating just throwing in the towel, but since I was Darloks I went ahead. 

   

Here's what the map looked like by this point: 
   

So far everything had been peaceful. A few rebuffed skirmishes. The Psilons actually attacked a planet of mine, but I was barely able to drive them away with Planetary Shields and Scatter Packs and then they just left me alone for a bit. 

So I launched an attack on the Klackons as of this turn, but I didn't have much to work with:
   

I attacked the closest green star right below the red one near my home world in the map above.

This is how my research was set:
   

It mostly stayed about that like through most of the game, a few changes here and there. 

You can see why I didn't go after the Silis:
   

So this was how things looked at the mid-game. I had some decent planets, but was pretty far behind the Psilons in tech, especially in computers, which had me worried. But I was able to get good relations with them long enough while I started taking over the Klackons.

[rgp151]

By 2491 I had taken a single Klackon planet and was ready to move on to launch an attack on Kholdan proper.

   

   

My fleet had improved some by this point. I had gotten in good with the Pslions, through a combination of trade, tribute and blaming everyone else when spying on them. I had gotten lucky with teh spy hits on them and didn't get caught, even though I was behind in tech. I didn't do any save scumming, just went with the rolls. 

   

   

But you can see that even though I had gotten some computer tech, they were still really pulling ahead. 

I basically took over the Klackons but left them with a single planet. 

By 2528 things were looking up:
   

   

The two rich worlds near me had been taken by the Silis, since they were Toxic. I had planned to take them back, but ended getting an alliance with the Silis that lasted the rest of the game, so I went after the rich and Ultra Rich worlds at the bottom. 

By this point I was ready to take on the Psilons so I launched an attack on their Ultra Rich world. I was opportunistic and was able to get it before they got missile bases up on it. 
   

[rgp151]

My last save was about 20 turns before the end, so its not exactly the end game. But this is how things were started it turn out: 
   

   

   

I did take Orion, most just to get the tech and keep the Psilons from getting it. I let them settle it, then took it from them. 

The Silis were keeping them quite occupied as well. Once I got the good planets I just went on a bombing raid, but closely managed their population so as to keep them in second place to win by vote.

And this is why I like the Darloks. So fun to come from behind like this, and they are really the only race that can do, at least in my experience.