30 Year Long War and Still Counting!

[NewportGames]

Sometimes you just draw a bad game.

Set up a game as human, government is Way of the Ancients, no pirates, large galaxy and it was set for random placement on a elliptical galaxy. I figured with a large galaxy and starting with only 10 empires everyone would have time to expand a bit before bumping into each other.

My Latonia Empire was placed on the edge which I like and everything seem fine. Then I noticed after expanding a few systems I was being blocked in rather early in the game. Later I noticed that about 25% of the galaxy was empty but it was not empty on my side of the galaxy. It seems the game randomly dumped almost all the empires within 3 squares of mine. Within 4-5 squares there were 11 empires and the game was only suppose to start with 10. In Distant Worlds Universe, DWU, you either expand or die. I was forced into war rather early in the game. I picked the Haakonish as my first choice. I really do not like dealing with the traders.

The war has been going on for something like 30 or more years with the Haakonish. We have taken three breaks in the fighting and they did not last long. In one instance the Haakonish asked for peace and I was tired too so I gave it to them. 5 minutes later they declared war again and I am not even sure why since nothing happened between us. I have never gotten this far into a game without being able to build Capital Ships and it is one of the reasons the war has lasted so long. As fast as I could kill his ships he would build them but I did manage to slowly take his colonies one by one.

I have gotten the Haakonish down to 1 colony but the empire has been bankrupted by the war and is exhausted and needs rest. Now the Shakturi have shown up and there really isn't anything I can do about it. To make matters worse they showed up right on my door step between me the last colony of the Haakonish.

I never really thought I couldn't lose a game of DWU but my gut feeling is this one is lost unless something happens soon.

The Latonia Empire is the blue empire with the Haakonish being the tan one in the upper right corner. The Shakturi are the red empire between us.

[NewportGames]

Notice the Shaktari and the Ancient Guardians are next door to each other. Nice touch.

[NewportGames]

My military strength looks impressive but technologically it is rather primitive. More like the Russian Bear but again there is "Quality in Quantity". Still the Shakturi who are still rather week would cut through my cruisers like a hot knife through butter and chop my carriers up for lunch. I will have to take a really big fleet in to deal with them and then more would just show up.

[NewportGames]

Erutkah Refugees AKA Shakturi. They are still somewhat week now but the ships will be arriving hot and heavy. Probably faster than I could kill them and being almost bankrupt by the long war with the Haakonish I don't really have the funds to replace my loses, or expand to new colonies, etc... In a war of attrition which is what it would be the Erutkah hold the cards right now.

[Drybreeze]

Nice presentation of your war.

Who is your avatar a picture of?

[NewportGames]

Me in 1972 (1st Armored Division)

[Drybreeze]

So you're like 70? Is the skull on the left shoulder photoshopped in or on the wall behind or what? What is the significance of that if I may ask?

[NewportGames]

I am 62

I met a demon, apparition, ghost, spirit or what ever you want to call it in 1972. The painting is a remembrance of the haunting event.

[NewportGames]

Well an interesting twist to this game has developed and took me off the hot seat for awhile. The Ancient Guardians and the Haakonish are at war with the Eutkah Refugees and the Ancient Guardians have a 30% advantage over them. I can sit back for awhile and build up my defenses which were in sore shape.

I finally have been able to build capital ships.

[NewportGames]

The war is over and was painless. I took one colony the Ancient Guardians took the other. Hardly even knew I was at war with the Shakturi. The Haakonish are a shadow of their former self. I might win this after all if I can survive the Ancient Guardians. I will keep on their good side.

[JWW]

Thirty Years War. It has happened before. Cool picture. I'm 62, too. 8th ID, 74-75, among lots of other units and places. 1st AD was in Germany back then, right? Along with 8th ID. We were V Corps. You were VII Corps, if I have all that right.

[NewportGames]

Having the Ancient Guardians fight the Shaktari awhile before I got involved saved my butt and I took the prize which was the Shaktari home world. Instantly my bankrupt empire was running a positive cash flow of over 5 million credits. Back in the game...

My unit was only at Illeshiem for a short while and it just happened to be when I was there. Stork Barracks a old Luftwaffe staging air base for flights over the Alps during WWII. It was turned into 35th Armored Brigade post (if my memory still holds true.)

I am going around provoking bugs into wars and then they get to fight all the major powers in the galaxy. I get most of the gravy.

[JWW]

8th ID 74-75, Baumholder, i.e., The Rock, 1/87 INF and then 2nd Bde Hqs. 85-88, Bad Kreuznach, 8th ID Hqs. Best wishes with your life and your current extended war.

[Drybreeze]

How fascinating. At the risk of being off topic can I ask a brief description of the encounter with the apparition that inspired the picture?