The Darlok Empire

[Bingeling]

Setup

This is rather unknown. I suggested for Lt.Cdr Data that if he made me a game, I would write an AAR about playing it. I hate setting up games...

The agreement was that he decided everything, including automation, with a few limitations. No enormous star count (I would get out of memory errors if the game runs long), and I wanted manual control of the military. The editor was his to use... So nasty suprises may hide beyond our current scanner range.

Starting

I found myzelf zoomed in at black space. A good sign that the editor had been in use. So was the color of my empire.

The 1 colony Darlok empire of Haakonish Population, living on Ireado 3, placed somewhat central in a clustered galaxy.



The Empire Policy screen showed:

Diplomacy – All manual
Intelligence – Full auto
Colonization – Full auto
Tax rates – Manual
Troop Recruitment – Full auto
Research & Design – Full auto (both of them)
Construction – Manual (suggest)
War & Attacks – Manual (suggest)
Fleet Formation – Manual

As we are apparently all alone in the Galaxy, it is time to get going and grab the riches of the universe!

[Bingeling]

Data 1 - 0 Bingeling

I did my usual exploration start. And was killed by pirates. Sooo, a bit more military, and more defensive in take two (It was gloomy outlooks with little to no money, no mining bases, and no military).

[Data]

Pesky those pirates are, very surprised I am [:)]

[Bingeling]

Data 2 - 0 Bingeling

I learnt that 4 vs 1 may not be enough to conquer an independent. And that you lose if your only colony rebels...

[Data]

This scoring system is making me even more sadistic, we should not encourage that for future enabler / deliverer teams. [:)]

[Bingeling]

I am hoping that some good enabler/deliverer support comes with next expansion. Mod-able scenario presets or something.

[Data]

That is a great idea, you should let Igard now for a future (if any) poll. Even if this expansion does not bring it, a high number of votes in the next poll (and I'm sure something like this will get them) would certainly put it on Elliot's table.

[Bingeling]

Early Days

With a hunch that this is going to hurt, the first build order is 3 explorers, 3 frigates, and a destroyer. The 3 starting ships are formed as the 1st fleet.

The nearby system with mining bases are have a kaltor attacking one mining base. The base is heavily damaged, but the 1st fleet kills the kaltor. A good trade for a tricky enemy in early game.

As military ships are completed two fleets are formed with 1 destroyer and 2 frigates each. As a starter they sit one in each system (the home system, and the one nearby with mining bases). The escort is easily forgotten as it dies to an early pirate attack.



As we had a hunch about a colony opportunity to the SE we sent the original explorer to visit systems in this direction. This was not helping, as the colony department never bothered to send a colony ship (I was unable to get cash flow positive with 6 military ships). The explorers are left on auto apart form this trip.

Both systems are repeatedly attacked by pirates. The usual result is that the shield of the mining base is depleted before the fleet in the system can chase the pirate away, and on the next visit the mine dies... Pirates typically jump from the system after taking structure damage.

We meet the ancient guardians, that warns us about some creepy stuff. We are more worried by pirates. We also meet the human based Horecani Enclave.

Ancient guardian ships arrive in the mining system. They help us kill a couple of pirates.

In a nearby system we discover Kurilea 6, an independent colony with hostile Mortalen. A troop transport is ordered. This is the lower of the two stars seen on the right in the image above.

The transport together with the two destroyers conquer the place with a 6 troop attack (2 defenders). After landing troops, they are attacked by two pirate ships, again the ancient guardians are present and helps chase the pirates away.

As this goes on, the humans are busy, and colonize everything in sight and then some. Including using Ugnari slaves to start a colony in our mining system. This makes them eventually pissed at us, and they attack our freighter visiting their system to trade.



The home cluster. We can see our new mortalen colony to the right. The blue humans have landed both in our mining system just outside our front door, and in our wanted colony just abit SE of this.

Angry humans is bad news.

We currently sport (according to diplomacy screen).

2 colonies
7326M population
18K tax revenue
532K strategic value
230 Military Strength

The Humans have...

15 colonies
23301M population
133K tax revenue
2278K strategic value
3466 military strength

A war is not likely to end well...

The Horecani impose trade sanction, as pirates chase their freighters away from our Kurillea colony. Pirates are allowed to control those skies... In response to this their freighter attack our space port... The 2nd fleet waiting at the capital kills the rude freighter.


The rude Horecani blockade our capital.

And for once, the AI follow up a blockade... Each of those little pests are twice as strong as our ships. The military ships moves to Kurillea 6, this system is well protected against pirates...



The Horecani lift their trade sanctions the brutal way...

They attack our space port... This is a war we can't win. They want 2M for peace. We have the contested mining stations valued at 836k. Not enough. We add our racial fuel cell valued at 7,2M. On their side we can only add 179k credits. So, the mining bases have no relevant value, but would just give another war. And why can't we steal any of their tech in this trade? [&:]

As peace happens, the space stations is at 1/3 shields, and the enemy got a 12-4 advantage on the ground. And they are friendly to us (+37) (they enjoy our past dealings, no wonder considering the trade values).

So, 216k cash, -3800 cashflow... We order a small space port on Kurillea 6.

And hope the rest of the way will be easier. At least the humans are friendly now...

[Bingeling]

I should have traded the mining stations for the trade sanctions (250k value), but I was hoping for some tech to become available...

[Data]

woot, you score a big one on surviving the start.....easy ride from now on [:D]

[Bingeling]

Well, drama is not over, but there is progress. Sort of...

[Data]

still something [:)]

[Bingeling]

The Struggle Continues.

We book a resort base at a nearby black hole, and order 4 more explorers (total of 8). Economy improves, as bonus income kicks in (the shipyard is busy).

The Horecani are friendly (+34) and their freighter attack a mining base...

The battle of Ireado 3 did not end with the war, and our capital is lost... We now live on Kurillea 6 with pure Mortalen inhabitants, and Haakonish dominant race...

Pirates attack our mining base in our old capital system.

Dire Times require radical measures

The pirate attack makes us check trade proposals with the Horecani. There is now a long list of tech available. The 348k valued mining base helps, but they offer 100M for declaring war on the ancient guardians....

We make a trade... Our mining base and a war declaration valued at 100 396 652.
For

50152 credits.
Ion Weapons
Star Fighters
Energy Torpedo Weapons
Enhanced Beam Weapons
Enhanced shields
High Density Alloys
Missile Weapons
Area Weapons
Coordinated Docking
Enhanced Crew Systems
Advanced Medicine
Holographic Entertainment
Enhanced Research
Coordinated Control
Enhanced Commerce
Continental Colonization
Enhanced Transport
Marshy Swamp Colonization
Enhanced Resource Exploration
Proximity Sensors
Target Tracking
Countermeasures
Hyper jump inhibiting
Enhanced HyperDrives
Enhanced Engines
Enhanced Storage
Enhanced Energy Collection
Fast Mining
Enhanced Construction
Nuclear Supercharging
Territory Map

(I thoguht galaxy map was clicked, but I can't see it in the list).

100M vs 3,7M trade, but good riddance to the mine... I hope I can get rid of the war...

The ancient Guardians want 2M for peace. 1.8M for declare war on Horecani Enclave. Eh no.
5 091 168 for Compressed Fuel Storage? They refuse any deal. I will just sit here very quietly...

The ancient guardians shoot up some mining bases, while we wait for our space port to be built.

Time for peace

A destroyer arrives at hour home and destroy our ships. We sue the guardians for peace and offer to become subjugated minions. They accept...

The 2 destroyers and 1 frigate that survived are now the 1st fleet.

Pirates raid a mining base, 4 are present, 1 is killed, 2 is chaced away. If we only had some better ships... Which we will have if we only get our grubby hands on a construction yard. The mining base is of course lost.
We find an alien ship. It will be retired after doing some guard duty.



And the space port is complete, and we immediately start to retrofit to a medium one of modern design.

We have positive cash flow, and the colonization department books a colony ship for a desert planet in the Monlale Mafer System. We send the alien destroyer to keep watch at the target.
The Horecani Enclave wants a mutual defense pact. Not right now... We offer a Free Trade agreement instead, and they accept.

We give 1st fleet order to retrofit. Before: Destroyer has 30 firepower, 480 shields. The new design has 44 firepower and still 480 shields.

Monale Mafer 4 is colonized, we immediately starts building a small space port, and lets the alien destroyer hang around for protections.

The colonization department orders another colony ship aiming for the desert moon Sleif in the Volkan System.

The Horicani Enclave send us the odd gift.

We order 2 destroyers and a frigate to get a second fleet.

We discover representatives from the Ikurro Territory to the north. Up north we also discover a pirate base, and send the 1st fleet to visit.

The Sluken Collektive are first met as their explorer visit the Monlale Mafer system.

An exlorer visits a gas clouds where 3 ancient guardian ships are busy fighting 6-7 pirate ships and a base. Just as well it is them doing the dirty work...

Our 3 ship fleet lacks firepower to kill the pirate base.

Tirra 3 has been colonized. That makes ... 3.



This should cure our issues with killing that pirate base.

Cannarath 3 is colonised, and the local world looks like this.



We intercepts our 2nd load of lorso fruit. The ancient guardians appears to have a supply of this.

Elite Trap has no issue killing that pirate base and an escort that was unfortunate enough to be presents. Another pirate base has been spotted up north (and an Ikkuro colony), and the Trap proceeds to waste that one.


The Ikurro are giants. 32K military, 1111k tax revenue. I got 50k tax revenue...

The Trap meets 16 ships of the Ikurro 1st fleet at that pirate base... It kills the base and some pirate ships, and moves to check the base where the guardians were spotted. It is not confirmed dead.

There is still 3 guardian ships and some 8-10 pirates and a base there. The guardians are 3 times 87 firepower. The Trap is 320. The Trap has an effect, and it is a swift massacre.

Another pirate base to the west this time. The Trap goes for a visit. Things die, the Trap does not.

Treachery

The backstabbing Horicani asses Attack and conquer our colony Slief. [:@]
Two troop transports are ordered just in case (the previous one died).

An exploration ship of the Wekkarus Authority is encountered in the cultural melting pot of Monlale Mafer System.

The rather confused Horecani sends us another 10k gift...

We order two research stations in our new home system to obtain one of each...

We discover the Horicani repairing a world destroyer. The Trap is rerouted to kill it.

Members of the Kaduamae Federation are discovered to the far east. They are some weird guys that call themselves Kiadians.

We have discovered Devastator, a 612 strength Capital Ship. No image, it is a scandal, and the press officer of the explorer is fired.

We discover the Trillar Yaigaan Alliance (Atuuk) as they ask for a free trade agreement. We reject.

The world destroyer is no more, neither are the rest of the wrecks that surrounded it.

Silent times, the odd pirate bashing is done by capitals.

A pirate base in the NW tells about an independent teekan colony in the C1 sector. The Trap doing the kill goes to investigate.

We discover a desolation moon project under repair by the Ikurro. The devastator is sent to deconstruct it, and kills the moon as well as some surrounding ships.

The teekan colony, Turvec 3 is friendly. Lets hope colonization department is not asleep. They are not.

The Teekan Industries are discovered in the SW. In the same system we discover the Quameno Technocracy.

We swap territory maps with the Quameno, they live in the SE cluster, where we now see a Securan Renessaince planet, as they share system with the Q.



No doubt as to who are strong, and who are weak.

Colonization of Turvec 3 fails, lets try again...

The Miredean Syndicate (Ugnari) is discovered. 6 colonies, on the weak end in the diplomacy screen.

We discover the Ubrua Scae Republic (Ackdarian) in our Tirra system (and also formally the Securans at the same time).

The sluken place a colony in our start cluster, and demand a gas mine in the system. We look at their 22k military strength, and decide that we are not eager for a fight. They have little of value, so we receive only 229k cash.

As we stop for the evening, we ponder how to get positive cashflow so the stupid Colonization department makes another stab at the teekan planet (795k cash should make one colony ship quite safe economically...). We should shake free of the Guardians...

[Bingeling]

I ponder what to do, I have never been subjugated before. And the stubborn colonization department is a pain, and the teekan colony got 5 troops (should require at least 2 to kill).

I have almost 1000 firepower of capital ships, maybe I can get a peace with the Ancients...

[Data]

I almost thought you expanded like a plague, still we're not out of the woods yet.....peace is always safe [:)]

[Bingeling]

I think there will be nowhere to expand. At least by the way of colony department.

The tech disadvantage was insane when mixed with the size differences. The Humans got a long list of techs up for trade again (but it is too cheap to start planting contested mining bases to get it all [:-])

And I started near to a storm (seen on the right on the image), where my explorers go to die, but that is just side entertainment. As are various gloomy messages about some old stuff, who cares?

[Bingeling]

So, basic plan for the future...

1: Get free of subjugation
2: Molest the humans.

The last overview was before the humans stole my colony. The one list is the left of the two that are close in the middle.

So, what is there to lose in war with the ancients? All my 4 colonies now got space ports (small on the other ones). I could lose all space ports. I could munch mining bases. Hopefully they will never come out with a huge fleet that my overpowered capitals can't spank. But I can't be everywhere.

I had not yet discovered their system on that picture, it is down left. A goal in the war is just to get rid of the subjugation. Or would sweet talking them with gifts work? They seem unwilling to conduct diplomacy (so who knows if I can get rid of subjugation, I have not explored that earlier).

The Horecani (humans) seem to be in quite a few wars with them. Maybe I could trade myself into a war for a bunch of tech (again), but that appears too cheap.

If I eventually end in war with the Humans again, I could hope that my old capital revolts back into my hands...

And as for stupid AI... They are researching planetary government. And I got 1 decent colony and some developing ones. Why would I need a regional capital? Only one colony has tax potential.

[Data]

Well, it is Anomalous Inteligence but helps with rping and putting some obstacles in your way.
As for the plan for the future, must the two objectives be in that particular order?

[Bingeling]

The humans adore me (but steal my colonies by force). They seem to be safe. The Ancients are safe too, but they steal my money each month. I have issue with the independent and getting positive cash flow for another attempt, I could disband troops. I don't need them against the guardians (troop building is auto, but I think there is no limit on abandoning them).

And the typical cashflow issue, I need it to colonize, and possibly to build troops. But I have no issue with money.

[Data]

troop building is auto, but I think there is no limit on abandoning them

epic struggle assasinating your own forces. Next time we should set some things on auto just to avoid AI stupidity generating boring micro.