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I have decided to create a new AI AAR attempt. It has been a while (and expansion) since the last one.

To spice things up, I have decided to try Haree78's extended mod.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3141149

How to Play

The idea is to be the boss of the navy. Military ships are mine to build and run (unless I want to automate them for convenience). The rest? That is for the AI to take care of.

To help supply the navy, I will allow myself to book gas mines (queue nearest constructor). If desperate, the navy's intelligence bureau may book monitoring bases, but I doubt that will happen a lot. If I get spanked I may interfere a bit more (for instance creating a scouting ship).

As a guide to max military spending I will look at AI suggestion amounts. But not build what the AI suggests apart from explorers and constructors. If the AI ever run out of explorers, I will build at least 5 of them. Being stuck with no known enemy is just too boring (my first AI AAR ended up that way).

I will run attack targets on suggest, just to get suggestions to attack independents. I will not do this unless the AI asks for it, but may use my own fleet and timing.

What to Play

Using a mod it should be a new race. And since being military at peace is boring, the race should be aggressive and not careful. I won't play to victory conditions, but I will try to act somewhat according to them.

The first temptation was the Jintus. Stupid people that make trouble. But they seem more of a diplomacy race, trying to get others to fight their wars.

The Keskudon seem too good, and they are army focused in victory conditions. The Caleph seem too powerful with extra strong ships.

The Yor, however. Are aggressive, reckless and want to:

30% Destroy the most enemy ships and bases in the galaxy
25% Control the 3 largest Desert Colonies in the galaxy
25% Conquer the most enemy colonies
20% Control 1 location supplying Restricted Resources

Those are my boys. Even though they look like an afterthought.

The Settings

This is the good question. How much of a hindrance is an aggressive AI Diplomat?

I run:

Irregular 10x10 galaxy with 1000 stars.
Young expansion.
Hard difficulty.
Normal aggression.
Expensive research.
Normal space creatures.
Normal pirates at average distance.

Normal colony prevalence.
Rare independent alien life.
80% colony influence range (down from 84% suggested)
Colonization range limit at 2 sectors.

Empire: Trying home world. Starting size and tech. High corruption. Random government.

15 random starting empires. No independents to set up their own.

100% of everything to win, just to have the victory view.
And no story lines, but with all kinds of disasters and events.

Early days

It is 2758.

An early attempt right at the top map edge, was saved by the no weapons bug...

The second attempt is a bit below the center.



The Yor empire, under governance of the competent military dictatorship is peeking at the stars from the lovely desert world of Rauraxxa orbiting the gas giant Wigu 4 in the Wigu system.

The sharp eyed may notice stars nearby. A black hole and a neutron star to the east. A huge gas cloud a bit SE, and a small one NW. And also a few cloud sectors just north of the circle of control.

As we can see, the galaxy is all ours. No competition

The research department is looking at Missile Weapons, Enhanced Construction, and Marsh Colonization. The Navy don't mind that at all.

There is a 61% colony prospect known at start, lets hope the dimwits leave that one alone...

The starting destroyer moves to the gas mine in the home system, while the frigate and escort moves to gas mines in the other two mining systems.

We have 1 explorer and 1 construction ship. Lets pray for some build orders.

The dimwits at the department colonization decide that the 61% Proa with no resources is a suitable colonization candidate.

Pirate escorts descend on mines in the N'zuth system. Repeated attacks. Armed mines helps a bit. We lose two mines, kill one escort, but a pirate frigate more powerful than ours (by a bit) also appears.

Both the Venomous Outlaws and Menacing gangsters are attacking us. We lose mines, they lose ships, but there is only so much our navy of 3 can do.

2 mines left, the escort is dead. A frigate and a destroyer against numerous pirates.

Ussos 6 is colonized. An eternal drain on our treasure.

A pirate cruiser (of our design?) appears. We can't even build destroyers, nor do we get money to build anything. Short of mining bases, we form the first fleet, and ask it to refuel. Then to move to our remaining mining station.

We notice that we send a gift to Giunuses Authorithy. A military dictatorship of Dhayut, which could possibly become our future allies. It is nice to see the diplomacy guys make huge fuzz about new discoveries.



Pirates are still active. This is an interesting image of a failed rescue attempt, but notice the action. 1st Fleet, the whole navy, is charging a frigate of the Jolly Claw Corsaris, which is again busy fighting an escort of the Cruel Fang ravagers. Incoming at the lower left is a cruiser of the Cruel Fang Ravagers.

The top escort run away. We damage our nearby target, which is killed by the pirate cruiser while running away. The pirate cruiser manages to do some damage to our destroyer and flees, while the top escorts arrives and is killed by our shield depleted ships.

After this we ponder why we get no build orders. 22500 credits, -895 cash flow.

We have a colony ship parked which failed to colonize Proa. We head there to peek for pirates with the 1st fleet, since there are no mining bases to protect.

Construction department is trying to rebuild a mine at N'zuth 3, first fleet move there.

We got a free trade agreement with the Ginuses Authority. We have discovered their location to the east.

Our explorer finds a construction ship of the Ackdarian Dynasty in the Dirra system to the north east. There is no prize to the ones guessing their race correctly.

We have verified that we indeed should get suggestions for something to build. Obviously our coffers are too empty.

We successfully colonized the dump also known as Proa.

Construction suggests to build a troop transport for 2600 credits. We try to follow their spirit and order a frigate for 2967.

Construction wants to build 3 explorers. We are happy to confirm this order, even though we struggle badly with pirates.

Legrono 002 is built, and forms the 3rd fleet. It moves to try fend of a pirate making a nuisance in one of our new systems. 1st fleet remains at our mining base.

It seems Legrono 002 has been anihilated by the pirate frigate. Too bad.

Income is positive, maybe we get an order for a couple more soon?



Our area. Home fleet is repairing at the capital in the center, our two new (crap) colonies are NE of this. The mining system just lost is just SE of the capital, where a constructor can be seen. No pirates are seen, which is a good sign. Kinda.

After giving us missile weapons (that won't be used for anything), bombard weapons are researched. Exactly what is most needed right now. Enhanced construction is at 49%. Once that is done, the destroyer design will be just a tiny bit too large...

Construction wants to build 2 frigates. We are happy with this, and they will form the 4th fleet when done.

One of the new explorers find the 96% Ilukas 2 just a bit to the SW. We want it!

And our constructor tries to rebuild again in N'zuth. 1st fleet move there.

Construction wants 2 new construction ships to build mines we can't protect. We are happy to accept. A colony ship is under building for our jewel just out of our zone of influence to the SW.

1st fleet kill a pirate escort attacking N'zuth Gas Mining Station.

We are out of steel. The 4th fleet may take some time to appear. We believe in our mining ships and maybe even our future mines. And we even believe in the trade with our good friends.

The Ackies has triggered silvermist Quite a bit NE, luckily.

4th fleet is complete, it moves to our second mine, another gas mine in N'zuth. (We found steel in some way).

Things become more quiet. Obviously the pirates have not noticed our new mining bases (both of them).

Construction wants to build 4 escorts and 5 explorers. The escorts cost 11300. We order 2 frigates instaead, in addition to the 5 explorers.

Our dear capital got 1 steel.

Dreadful Firelance (frigate) attack our new gas mine at N'zuth 3 where 4th fleet waits, and a constructor is at work. The frigate flies after getting a couple of shots at the mine. 1st fleet is based at N'zuth 4, 3rd fleet at N'zuth 3.

We have met the Naxillian Nation just west.

It is 2764.10.02, and we end this session with some status images.



Diplomacy. 1 friend, one potential friend, and one likely enemy. We are weak, which is no surprise as we are "starting" and the rest young.



Economy. Not too shabby, not rich.



Ships and bases. 2 gas mines (one not complete, but the pirate chasing the constructor away may not be bad).
0 normal mines.
5 explorers and 2 frigates are not complete, and won't be anytime fast.
2 construction ships are incomplete, and will remain so, since the colony ship is not complete, and steel is in shortage.
Freighters are luckily travelling quite a bit to our friend, though. Too bad they are not more efficient in picking cargo.



The proud empire.



The local area. The fleets are hunkering on our mines. North are to fresh ackie colonies. East the capital of our friend, and that explorer to the west just discovered the naxs. The constructor is spotted in the north colony, heading to build another gas mine. How about some steel?
The fleets hunker at our two gas mines just south of the capital.



Colonies. The capital and two crap ones. And the alluring 95% to the south waiting for the colony ship to complete.

And I maintain that it is close to impossible to save the mining bases with hard settings, a trying home world, or worse. At least 3 pirate gangs make noise (at least two attacked, and a third demand money for protection).

Some economy will hopefully give some ships, which will allow us to get the pirates somewhat under control. Also quite a lot of pirate ships have been destroyed.

I really should make a AAR one of these days...

That silver mist... unless the ancient guardians destroy it that is going to be big trouble.

(Also - A pirate cruiser? aouch!)

There are no guardians. No storylines are in. And the cruiser is my own design, so no monster.

The next session is incoming.

Rough times - Status

Heading forward wiht 1.5 mining bases, what is the main issues with our stores at the capital?

Steel. The only thing missing. 1947 of them. Of course, if ships are actually completed (explorers, a few freighters, stuff, 15 in total), those 6277 caslon are not going to last forever either. And if more are booked, there is not a huge amount of stores for other materials. I can't help thinking that living 1.5-2 sectors away from the Giunuses Authority capital is quite handy right now.

There are a few mining ships with steel in stores, but they are still busy mining something.
There are two small freighters just inside, and outside the Dhayut capital system with "caslon, steel" orders, but they have not picked up yet. Knowing the freighter captains, they are probably about to pick up 16 each.
2400 caslon is incoming on a large freighter, just outside our spaceport.
The large freighter "Futile Ruse" is sitting idle outside our capital. A fitting name, that.

The half build gas mine is just that. Half built. It is not producing. The single gas mine functioning would cover caslon needs just fine for the time being (over 7k reserved).

Enhanced Construction is at 85%
Marsh Colonization at 43%
Bombard Weapons at 49%

The current destroyer design is of size 303, but sport 9 maxos blasters and 4 concussion missiles. One could always dream that Research Department fits that one under 300 size when that is researched in the not too far future. Not that we have resources to build them...

Operation Resource Tracking

1457 caslon and 727 steel picked up at the Dhayut capital! "Go, Nimble Nova!".
1438 caslon and eh, 38 steel picked up at the same spot. "Silly, silly Challenge of Wigu".
Mining ship of assorted contents incoming. 217 steel among it.
Backlog is over 2000 now, it is nice to know the privates are making orders...
256 steel incoming on the Humble Hoard (small freighter)

A medium freighter went to the Dhayut capital to pick up. 105 Vodkol. Yay.

It is quiet on the pirate front (this should make them appear). Too bad we lack resources to build mines

The colony ship and two frigates are complete (some steel arrived, after all). The frigates moves to the new colony system to hopefully arrive before the colony ship (which won't happen).

A construction ship is complete. Too bad there are no steel to make mines from.

Enhanced construction is complete as the colony ship finds target system empty. 96% colony incoming! And no stupid moon either, a planet.

Hm, freighters are moving to an Ackie mine in the Dirra system to fetch carbon fiber. Probably not a bad idea. But steel, folks?

The Segovia III destroyer design is available to build! (not that we can find materials to retrofit, but...).

The new construction ship is building a gas mining station. Ack (but appears to have the mats needed).

A medium freighter with Steel order heading east. We are hopeful. Backlog is almost -2k again.

A large freighter is used to transport 106 emeros crystal. You got to love it.

The Ackies have planted a colony to our SW, denting our influence circle. If we ever have a promising war with them, that one is up for grabs for sure... And another one to the SE.

Since we can't build troop transports due to resources, and they have almost 10x our military strength, promising war days with them are some way off.

We made a breakthrough on swamp colonization. Crash research.

We meed the Lipid Empire at the Dhayut capital. Are there any non-insects in this world (apart form naxs and ackies)?

We find lots of pirate ships (6?) at a pirate base out west.



Those Ackies are becoming a tad annoying.

We discover an abandoned monitoring base NE of the lower pirate base in the image above (it can be seen). It is handy, since that is the base with lots of ships, and it covers their path to our areas.

Trade Sanction from the Ackies. No more carbon fiber for us. They will revert their decision quite soon. And revert again.

A medium freighter with 2750 steel is incoming from the Dhayut. -2000 at the colony. Maybe we get spares?!

The 5th fleet of two frigates refuels, and plans to head west to pirate ships revealed by our monitoring station.

The Lipid impose trade sanctions, the Dhayut send us frequent, small, gifts.

The Wigu bandits (those with ships) attack our gas mine and dies at the hand of 1st fleet. One down.

Exploration ships are built, the medium freighter of lots of steel is soon entering the system.

5th fleet can not kill the pirate frigate, but damage it some. They wait for shields to recharge.

We discover an independent colony of naxxilians out west.

We spot a Xhuman explorer to the south. The XHuman Authority.
We discover the Wekkarus Sekurrea Realm at the Naxx independent.

We got spare steel at our capital. But we lack carbon fibre. Right now the ackies with a nearby source are not sanctioning us.

Gas mines, more gas mines. Stupid constructors.
Someone have killed the pirate base in the SW. Good thing.

We have researched Bombard weapon and Marshy Swamp Colonization. New priorities are Point Defense Weapons and Coordinated Control.

We have colonized Kyphar 1 out west. 69% desert planet.

It is 2769.02.03 and the space port is working through a backlog of civilain ships. 7 waiting, 6 under construction.

We meet the Irgishoe Junction Consortium to the NW. They are of something called the Riktoh species.

239k cash, -6k cashflow. No build orders (which is just as good until the backlog is cleared).

We have spotted the based of the Venumous Fang Prowlers to the south. The guys with a cruiser that we have fought, and that recently chased our constructor away while it built a mine in a southern gas cloud.

The 5th fleet is merged into the 4th fleet, to a total of 4 frigates. They plan to head south pirate hunting.

A glance at our spaceport reveal no resource shortage. A backlog of civilians, though.

The pirate cruiser arrive at the good old N'zuth 4 gas mine. 1st fleet manages to get in some good hits, the cruiser flees after just hitting shields of the 1st fleet and the mine. Lots of 1st fleet shields, though.

The 4 strength 4th fleet is ordered to attack the hideout of the Venom Fang Prowlers in the south. A bit far away, though, and they start out north.

The ravagers attack unprotected gas mines under construction. We don't interfere, and continue heading for combat, and protect our old, trusty mine.

We colonize Huppawoe Minor 1 to the north. 79% quality.

The first Ackdarian war

The fishies declare war. Bad news for us... The 4th fleet turn around to try protect the capital which does not sport too many troops.

We see signs of wanting to build ships for 230k. There is a backlog on the spaceport, though, and when checked the build order screen is empty.

Experts want to build a small space port at Ilukes 2 in the south (the good one). We accept, but fear the money (and resources) will be lost soon enough.

Another suggestion for building ships for 230k. We try build a troop transport and 2 destroyers.

We discover the Free Trassetean Harmony at the Dhayut system. They are Securans.

All our fighting ships are at our capital. The enemy has not been spotted.

A 15 ship ackie fleet arrives at Ussos 6 NE of the capital. We got 3 troops there. They land 7. They then head for our space port where the now 6 strength 1st fleet (all ships) wait. Hopefully they dropped all their troops, and we can now just try damage them. The space port has a whopping 100 firepower. The first fleet has 220. They have 15 ships of more strength.

N'zuth 4 gas mining station is under attack by a pirate. Bye, bye, old friend.

The ackie fleet lands at the capital. Space port dies, and the sole remaing ship of the 1st fleet moves up north. No troops are dropped on our capital. The 1st fleet of 1 frigate will move into space to hide.

Advisers want to end the war. The Ackies don't.

The AI wants to build ships for 258 978. Too bad our only space ports are small ones with 89 components unbuilt.

Two troop transports arrive at the capital. They drop 3 troops. As long as it is only 3, it is target practice. We got 12, and a 9155M population. The troop recruiter is in no hurry to build more, though. Strength is 26 vs 283.

1st fleet arrives (the Ackie one). One troop transport moves attacking troop count from 2 to 4. 28 vs 277.

Mines not killed by pirates are killed by the Ackies. Our 1st fleet pretends not to notice.

We fend off the invasion. Some troops are a bit stronger after the practice (11,2 seems default).

The enemy 1st fleet heads off to kill our hardly started space port out west.

The lipid are fighting our Dhayut friends. The lipid got three times the firepower. The Lipid has also built the shipyard.

It is kind of nice just to watch a war happening. When will they tire of it? Before or after capturing all our colonies?

For fun we check the price of peace. 182M at the moment.

1st fleet heads for a random planet in an "old" enemy system. Maybe we can kill a mine? 1st fleet finds none, and head for another system. And finds no mines. Heading to refuel.

If nothing else, the destruction of our space port removed the building backlog.

How can our scientists be on the wrong path when we have no research ongoing?

1st fleet heads for a system where we think we may have traded at an Ackie mine. Our memory is off, the system is empty.

We complete a small space port in the south. Unsure about what to build, we do nothing. Troop transports would wreck havoc on their fresh colonies, but moving troops away from ours does not look like the brightest idea ever.

Our guys want to build a LSP at the capital. We can always try (not that we have any power to deny them the attempt). I think we may lack quite a few resources to get that done anytime soon.

Peace

The wimps tire of war, and suggest peace. We don't mind the idea of peace at all.

We hasten to order 2 destroyers and 2 frigates at the small space port in the south. Who knows when those will be done, but at least we are first in line. Our 37 small, 28 medium, and 17 large freighters could make some use of themselves.

One crap colony, 1 medium space port, various mines, 5 military ships. The main losses from the war.

A constructor wants to rebuild the gas mine at N'zuth 4. The 1 ship first fleet moves there.

The Ackies impose trade sanctions. And blockade Proa in the north (it ends soon enough).

A frigate is completed in the south. And 2 destroyers.

Since we have had old build orders, we optimistiaclly order 2 destroyers and 7 frigates. It should total out at 4 destroyers and 10 frigates. And the destroyer design has improved with missiles compared to the old ones we never upgraded.

The civilians don't seem to have noticed our shipyard in the south. All ours!

There is progress at the capital spaceport. Weapons are coming online.

Ackies lift trade sanctions.

Huh? There is an ardilus at the gas giant our capital orbits. 1st fleet heading there.

LSP at the capital is complete. With another southern frigate. This was not so bad after all.

The ardilus kill our ships. A bit hasty there.

We got no refuel option. Joy. 0.5 stock of caslon according to expansion planner.

2 gas mines with caslon in the N'zuth system should cure caslon issues. We hope.

Blockaded and sanctions from the Ackies are on and off.

We have a mutual defense pact with the Ginuses Authority (Dhayut). They trade Loros Fruit with us. They have had their own issues with the Lipid empire, but that war has ended. They are subjugated by the Lipid...

Pirates kill our out of fuel ships at the gas mine, and...

The second Ackdarian war

The date is 2774.04.11 (in a few lines).

The fishes are at it again. Our former tormentors of their 1st fleet are blockading a Dhayut colony.

We could build ships, if we had fuel. Oh well.



The situation at hand is in the image above. The ackies got more colonies than that, among others we don't know where the capital is.

The first fleet is selected near our capital. The southern colony built the ships. This is not a very defensible position.

We got 9 military ships, including a badly damaged destroyer (gas mine decoy), but only 4 of them got any fuel at all. The Ginuses are not at war (yet), despite our defense pact.

Military strengths:

Ackies: 2776
Ginuses: 1213
We: 756

Our build suggestions was large in the past war. We try order 4 more of both frigates and destroyers in the south. To be out of fuel...

Their first fleet are heading for Proa. The colony north of the capital, next to Ussos. It is well populated (we breed well), but not a very good one, and we won't try to defend it. 1st fleet try to refuel at the gas mine, and some have enough fuel to kill a pirate.

A suggestion for 33k ship builds are in place. We order 4 more destroyers.

Our allies Giunuses are at war with the Ackies.

The 6th fleet is created to hold out of fuel ships. They are given single orders to refuel. The 1st fleet got 6 ships.

Ilukas 4 have been colonized. The same system as our good southern colony. 84% and marshy.

Another space port attempt out west (small). Build suggestions for 44k.

1st fleet has 8 ships. 6th fleet has 12 with half out of fuel and half not built. Finished and fueled ships are transferred to 1st fleet sitting at the capital.

A ship of the Ikurru Union is discovered out west.

210k ship building suggested. We take the hint and built what we want for a while. Cashflow is 30k negative, so no need to be stupid about it. Cash at 323k.

1st fleet got 14 fueled ships at the capital.

Their first fleet was reported on attack to our crap colony ages ago. Not seen yet. The colony they took last time has a gas mine and a medium space port. 1st fleet moves in to visit.

The Sakurrea Realm say they have been convinced to declare war. They got 5k military strength. Hopefully they are far, far, away.

The gas mine and space port in Ussos is gone, the space port was hardly started. 1st fleet head north to attack the colony in the system central in the Ackie structure in image above. There must be a space port there. The Ginuese 1st fleet of 17 ships are seen heading for the Kharun Major system, the spaceport system to the right (as seen from trade lines).



Our friends starts the attack at the small spaceport. They kill stuff, and land 6 troops against 4 defenders.

Our friends ask us to attack the Lipid. We accept, and hope the Lipid don't know where we live. They live to the east and among the Giuneses.

Our buddies head off to the northern ackie system in the image above.


1st fleet attacks the SSP found at the target. Focus is on the spaceport. It dies, and they head to refuel at home.

Our buddies attack a gas mine in that northern system. They head south after killing it.

We discover a ship of the Thela Ascendancy to the west. They are Quameno.

We spot a small space port in the Dirra system to the east. It is the lower of the two central to the east in image above. 1st fleet diverts to kill it, and will go to refuel afterwards. Our buddies conquered that other one.

We take our chances, and order two troop transports. Even though lifting troops away from our not too well defended capital seems a tad risky. Also the 4 last destroyers have been building for quite a while, so the transports may be some time off.

Our ally fleet refuel at our capital. That will help our fuel issues for sure. Our diplomats suggest to end wars. Only the sukkwhatevers we don't know where are don't accept.

This almost feels like peace, and we have not lost much (a few mining stations to pirates).
We are building two troop transports, and have noticed the ackie colony NW of our capital to be of 99% quality. Next time...

There is noise of a Kaltor in our northern system. 1st fleet makes a visit in refueled state. 3 kaltors dead.

The Kypher space port out west is 8 components from completion. The Ackies has lost their touch. They remember trade sanctions, though.

We have a kind of peace (no observed enemy). 6 frigates are put into 3 fleets, and moved to mining stations. This leaves 1st fleet at 10 ships, and we got 5 destroyers in the 6th fleet that are trying to complete repair/construction.

What seems to hold up our construction is our old buddy steel. We have 6 caslon, and 0 steel sources.

We have discovered a colony of our enemies the whatevers, down SW. Whatever we do, we are not going to destroy the pirate base down there...

One small fleet was sent to the system of the monitoring station to protect a gas mine. They killed 3 sand slugs at the cost of some component damage.

The spaceport out west is attacked by an enemy destroyer. The scary part is that it is part of a 1st fleet. The rest of the 14 ship 1st fleet arrives, and we are in trouble. Bye, bye, western colony.

The monitoring station spots the attacking fleet with order to attack our southern colony. The good one. Battle 1 (the old 1st fleet) got some shots at them leaving, and heads there... The colony has 3 defenders. We decide troops are parts of the navy and book 6 more at this healthy colony.

Our allies are at peace with the Ackies.

We have researched ion cannon.

The nasties want peace. We accept. Peace, but for how long?

Nothing is getting built, but we order 2 more troop transports. Maybe some day we will have 4.

It is 2778.12.15, and time to take a break. Statuses.

Status

We are getting there, maybe. The AI run 14 ship main fleets, and we can do that too. We probably lag a bit in firepower, since the AI loves to research every base tech there is (and bombard weapons), and no improvement is in sight. If we can fill some transports, we can inflict hurt. A worry is that our AI don't build many troops on core worlds.

The AI seems to want to mine emeros crystal, but steel is now highest on the wanted list of empire priority.




We are lagging. 1262 military strength. The ackies have 3k. Some others have 6k. The Ikurro has 10k. Our buddies are on the low side at 2300.



Economy is not critical, but we need to be careful with the maintenance cost.



The Ilukas system is the nice one. That is the southern one. We lost a decent one. The AI makes sure they don't breed to fast, though. 24% capital taxes. Enough to make sure they don't breed well, not enough to grab the big money.



Improving. I even got some mining stations. Gas ones that is, for the others it is not a plural.

In other areas, we are 11th of 11 in all areas in empire part...



The known portion of the galaxy map. We see the south edge, and miss 1 sector of the right, in a 10x10.
So this is south, and somewhat right.

We are stealth colored, in the northern part around the light blue ackies, which obviously got more stuff north-east-wards. We see the dark brown of our allies, and the light brown of the ones attacking them at the lower right.

Xhumans are the red ones south of us. The Nax are the purples out west. And the sick green nasties that stole our colony has one more known to us.

The southernmost red blob contain a Yor independent...

Tech Status

Weapons: We have. Beam, Armor Plating, Missile Weapons, Bombard Weapons, Point Defense, and are researching area weapons. Spreading thin is a good rule. Just one fine way for the AI to keep itself back.

Energy: We got all base techs, and component prefabrication. We are working on Damage Control. Size, but no performance boosters.

HighTech: We got marshy swamp, coordinated control. We are working on enhanced resource exploration. Not too useful (but control is not bad).

We are not even close to researching to potential, with 1 large and 1 small spaceport. That is, the small is retrofitting to medium, and I think it got the medium labs in place (60k).

I've only just noticed this, thanks for doing it. Fantastic, going to have a read now

In a way the Yor are an after thought. From all my play testing I realised that the insects had become somewhat less of an issue and they were often not an issue in large games anyway because they would usually not make enough friends to survive. The Paratis had helped but I wanted another race that would strengthen that race family. I struggled with something to really make them unique given I had made 15 races already which were pretty distinct enough from the 21 already in game and decided to make them fast spreading but without the extreme breeding of the Gizzies. They are also much more like the Boskura or Sluken in personality, where the Gizzies can be a nuisance they aren't as outright war like as the other Insectoids.
Also notice how Emeros Crystal (mostly Volcanic worlds) and Dilithium Crystal (Mostly Ocean) are valuable resources to the Yor, you can make Colony ships pretty damn fast if you can get enough of it, if there are any colonies available when you can finally build some!

It looks like you are in a really bad position, you really need to do something about the steel issue, are there no sources anywhere when you check mining locations in the left hand menu? At least your friends are doing well, hopefully they will keep the Ackies busy if they get frisky again

I don't have to do anything. This is an AI game. I stretched my military rights to book some troops manually.

And I think I may have accepted a peace offer...

Ah of course!
Will be interesting to see if you can make enough of a difference as a space Admiral to make up for the AI's shortcomings

Peace in our time?

Now, will peace last long enough to build some mining bases, have some stores, and be able to spam some ships at the capital if necessary?

Constructors seem at the edge of being happy with fuel supply. Maybe other stuff is incoming.

Pirates are spotted by our long range scanner. To increase protection, 2x2 frigates split from 1st fleet to make two new anti pirate fleets.

Reminder: Don't attack pirate destroyers with 2 frigates. They hurt.

So much for peace. Our allies ask for help against the Lipid. We accept, but stay passive. Our allies has taken a spanking, and the Lipuid has 6x their military strength.

Destroyers are completed at the capital. One damaged ship is completed not too long after. Battle 1 got 10 destroyers.

The Lipid want peace. The military interfere and accept. Too bad for our allies. As a reward our allies send us 8k cash.

2 troop transports complete.

The capital cleared its queue, the south has quite a bit of backlog.

Area weapons done, star fighters next.

Constructors are stuck in building, and do stupid choices. It is AI, what else is new?

Trade sanctions from the Ackies. Big surprise.

Our allies ask for help against the Nax. But they are not even neighbours.... We accept.
And the nax complete the Rusan Tech Wonder.

There are no tempting Nax targets. They are a bit far away, and the nearest colonies don't look nice. See last image in previous post.

Nax and our buddies are at peace. How about us?

Star Fighers done, missile bombers next.

Lots of build suggestions at 330k that are empty when viewed. We choose to interpret that as 2 constructors, 1 explorer. It is the routine that spend from cash on hand at fixed interwals (I guess).

Constructors are heading for more and more emeros crystal. Steel, anyone? We actually got no emeros sources, since the mines don't complete, though.

The monitoring base is lost to pirates. So are probably the Ack gas mine in the system.

And the Acks get peace with some guys, and declare war on us.

The third Ackie war

4 frigates are merged into Battle 1, bringing it to 14 ships. They head over to kill the space port on the colony they grabbed in the first war (right next to our other crap colony).

We notice that their SW system got a nice, and a pretty nice colony.

Medium space port found, 1 destroyer lost, quite some damage. Mopping mining bases....

We book 10 destroyers at the capital.

Nax ends the war with us.

Battle 1 heads home to refuel and repair.

We notice the Ortain empire by them starting and ending a trade block.

We spot the Qilla Junction Authority in our objective (tempting) system. Not sure what we got there, though. They are Mortalen, and are goverened by something called "Way of Darkness". They appear friendly to us, and right now we are happy with that.

The build queue shows sign of movement in the southern spaceport.

Sy Myrth, the SW objective got a small space port, and 2 colonies with 4 troops each.

One destroyer struggle to catch up with the space port (very slow). Battle 1 is at 12 ships, and prepare to bust a space port in the south. Invasion moves south where 2 more troop transports were completed, a short hop from objective. The two freshmen load troops (and we book more).



Battle 1 attacks the space port at Sy Myrth 2. The 4 ship invasion fleet with 16 troops are sent to attack Sy Myrth 1.

195 vs 24 at Sy Myrth 1. The troop transports wait.

The Mortalen seem friendly, and offer a free trade agreement.

We capture Sy Myrth 1 fast, and the transports load troops. With 12 troops they are sent to attack Sy Myrth 2.

The ackie 1st fleet seems busy blockading our buddies. Good work, friends

177 vs 33 at Sy Myrth 2.

Battle 1 moves home to repair and refuel. We eye that NW system with the 99% continental.

3 fresh destroyers have finally fueled up, and join Battle 1.

The Ackies has found Legendary Pirates. Hopefully at the other end. We spot them just north of our northern colony where we got a mining station.

Sy myrth 2 finally falls. A long siege.

We lack fuel. We send a 2 ship frigate fleet to peek at the tempting system.

We research missile bombers, and move on to energy torpedo weapons.

The sweet looking Pliados 3 (99% continental) to the NW got no troops. There is no spaceport. Frigates head to refuel, invasion attack with 8 troops (a bit of flight distance). If this succeeds, the two ackie systems west of our systems will be ours.

Pirate issues, war sucks. But they spark stuck constructors into life. Best case: Destroy stuck mine, chase constructor away, die. That worked in our capital system where Battle 1 hung around (with enough fueled ships to kill a pirate).

Ackies land 2 troops at Proa north of capital. We got 3, and are in the lead unless more appear. Their 1st fleet is there.

Damage control done, nuclear supercharging next. Some time in the past we started on Continental colonization too.

We take the sweet Pliados 3. We fend off invasion at Proa.

Peace, maybe? The Ackies lack a second war.

Phantom Fleet bust our far from built space port up north. Too bad the construction guys want to try again. A medium no less.

We complete a bunch of destroyers with no fuel, and only half of Battle 1 got fuel. We sit tight.

Ackies want peace, we accept.

Peace again

There are signs of completed ships. Lots of them. Maybe we got materials? For mines? Please?

The Acks landed troops at Sy Myrth 2. They ought to lose (44 vs 63), but a loaded transports head there to unload. The defenders win just as the transport arrives.

And this session ends.

Status



The galaxy map. Our systems highlighted. The two western are the war conquests. If they attack again it will be tempting to clean out the two southern systems (one is our old one), to tidy the borders. We are short of mines, but it feels good to win something in the war, not the least because there were 2 nice colonies involved. They lack inhabitants, though.



Diplomacy show that we are still weak. The potential menace are friendly, and we are not sad at all about that. Our Military strength is around 2200, our friends around 2400. Lots have 8-9k, while the Ikurro are 12k.

The Acks have 2800. Phantoms? Silvermist? All quiet about the latter.

The ones low in miltary are me, Acks, Giuneses, the Nax, and one more.

Victory screens show. We are last in population (but not that far from the one above). We are shared last in number of colonies. We are clearly last in economy, ending a steady decline trend (so not way behind the second to last).

We got a victory objective about having the three largest desert colonies. Our capital does not make that list.



We gain money, but are no economic miracle. One could guess that lack of mines hurt the private economy. Rather large gifts from the big menace (mortalen with darkness) have helped, for sure.



The 3k gas mine maintenance shows that only 3 are complete. We lost a few. The single non gas mine was never completed, and was cleared by the phantoms. Constructors should never leave with no mats.

Maybe some peace will allow some pirate tidying of the non-legendary sort.



Stupid tax policy aside... Pliados 3 and Sy Myrth 1 should be good colonies once filled with happy Yor. Ilukas is the good south system, Huppawoe Minor 1 is the northern, and Proa the middle north that was attacked.

Hm, the Acks have stopped coveting our resources, and stopped complaining about our efficient Military system. Maybe they will not declare a fourth Ackie all that soon?

XHumans and Sakurrea (that stole our colony) are most annoyed. The Sakk are very passive and cautious, though, so they are probably not very near attacking.

This game is too much fun.

An Attempt at Peace

The date is 2785.12.19.

A quick status check. 3 working gas mines, one has 19k caslon reserved by the Lipid, which will probably stay there and hug cargo space until some pirate has mercy on the station.

Very small stores, 700 steel in all according to expansion planner. I wonder if any mines get built at all, and if they do, it will probably be a matter of gas mines and emeros, built far away from anything.

At least 2 frigates at each mine. A pirate sweep is difficult due to lack of fuel.

Energy Torpedo Weapons completed. We move straight on to the improvement that follows.

A long line of freighters are heading west to refuel. West, as in a couple of sectors.

A retrofit is requested. I reject, and order a space port retrofit. The ships can wait.

The Phantoms visit our northern system to kill yet another unbuilt MSP. We think that someone(tm) should kill those pirates.

The Acks start coveting again. Trade sanctions. Soon they declare war on the Qilla menace, which suits us fine. We move to protect gas mines being built.

Pirates descend on a gas mine being built near Sy Myrth in the SW. 2 pirates down, one injured. Invasion fleet happened to arrive while the 3 frigate defenders were in action. Lots of pirates have been seen in that area recently.

We get a defense pact with the menace of Qilla. That smells trouble, but could be handy.

We now know most of the galaxy, apart form left and right edges. The Qilla shares what they know with their new ally.

We are nasty and order our fleet admiral to force a constructor stop its build and repair.

Ackies blockade Proa. Good to know what they target will be if war. It is our old friends the 1st fleet, now of 17 ships. They probably even got some fuel.

We are dragged into war with the Tairoshan Republic by our old allies. They are far north, and we have no intention of going there. Our allies also declared war on the Ackies.

Pirates overwhelm the 3 frigates at a western mine. A destroyer fleet has received fuel, and moves west to destroy their base.

We end our stupid war.

Phantom fleet keeps visiting our northern colony. We almost hope they will visit our blockaded colony a bit south, and talk to the Ackie 1st fleet.

Ackies lift blockade and trade sanctions. Caslon stock up to 7.2k. Demand down to 15k.

The 13th fleet of 7 destroyers kill pirate base and 4 ships. They suffer some railgun damage. There are 2 more bases in the areas, but low on fuel they head home to refuel (there is some fuel!).

We split 4 destroyers and a frigate from battle one to take on one more pirate base out west.

We are asked to join in fight against the Lipid. We trade a lot there, but we accept. We plan on doing nothing.

A colony ship has been built for Ilukas 3, the third good quality in our southern system 92% contintental. And it is a carbon fibre source (that has had no mine...).

One more MSP for the pirate fleet up north...

Pirate base and 3 ships dead out west. The attackers head home to refuel.

Caslon stores are 21k.

Build suggestion. 2 explorers and one construction ship built. 1 escort and 19 frigates not.

The snoring Lipid war ends.

The Ackie 1st fleet attack our ally's home space port, and will probably succeed. It takes forever, though. 84 strength cruisers, we got 69 strength destroyers of old design.

The main thing about the phantom fleet is not the ship strengths, which are good. But that the fleet is approx 40 ships.

6 destroyers to attack third base out west.

One of the best things about conquests Pilados 3 and Sy Myrth 1, is that they are steel sources.

Our agents are in motions. We have stolen tech and destroyed a defensive base (but not at the same time).

The Phantoms ruin any hope of a spaceport on Pliados 3.

Our pirate killers find 6 ships at the base. Some ships get away, some of ours take some minor damage.

Spies are discovered and caught.

We gain various new tech. Engines and stuff. We don't pay too much attention.

A constructor tries to build a research station way off. Like 3 sectors up, 2 right. It encounters silvermist...

One of the destroyer fleets head to the gas clouds in the SouthEast to kill a pirate base.

Still only gas mines, but 10 of them, at least 7 operational. Our ally arrives to refuel fleets. Fuel is not critical, but I feel far from safe. And stores on our mines are reserved by among others the Ackies. 4k spare caslon on the capital is not that impressive.

Session end. No full update, but this is the current galaxy map. I feel small.

The date is 2791.07.23.



Our two northern colonies (and nearby areas) are swept by the phanoms. I guess the whole center suffer from their sweeps.

Some comments about that galaxy map. The Mortalen reds of the top right corner have a lot of alliances. That is probably why they know so much about many corners of the map. The darker red out left are the Ikurro. They are the strongest in military, and probably got some colonies linking that northern and southern part where the world is dark. There could also be an empire or two hiding out east. I did not count them

The Ackie capital is the huge central hub on the right.

The pirate busting trips were near the edge of my range, if I was to fly back under fuel. The 3 western pirate bases were right around the poorly visible nax (purple-red) colony just about one sector left of my top left colony. The pirate busters heading south is going for the giant gas cloud in the south, that is quite easy to spot since noone got colonies there, and one can see the dark grey dots of cloud systems.

Now, if I could mop up some Ackie colonies, they could drag those western greenish guys into war again, and afterwards get a nice little war with the red XHumans of the south... I could have a pretty sweet little corner of the galaxy here.

The Phantom fleet sat around in the north(east) system for quite a bit of time. Maybe they have fuel issues too? I don't quite feel quite ready to bust a 40 ship phantom fleet (I noticed cruiser strength at 135 or so) using my destroyers. The destroyers may have some power waiting in shipyard, but not that much power. I think I got 19 destroyers and about 10 frigates in all

If the AI sees the light in cashflow and want to build some more spaceports, I should protect them, since I need the research. The two northern ones are probably pirate controlled, but I did see request for some (I think) in Sy Myrth in the SW, but it disappeared (lots of pirates there for a while). The AI wanted to build a defensive base there, which surprised me a bit. And who I am to reject such requests?

Research and Design

The last session was all about getting fueled, and trying to hold of some mines. Maybe it is time to maintain the fleet as well?

Generally I tend to run cruiser (and carrier and capital) battle fleets, and destroyer raider fleets. Since I can only build destroyers and smaller, this is not quite possible yet. The question is, though; are frigates useless? If they are, they should be retired at the spaceport, and the mats used to build destroyers.

The Frigate has a bunch of maxos blasters and a point defense cannon. Firepower is 35. Cruise speed is 24, and they turn at 12. Maintenance is 698, purchase 3172. Purchase prize is quite irrelevant.

The destroyer got a bunch of maxos, 4 epsilon torpedos, 2 point defense, and a nuclear devastator. Firepower is 113. Cruise is 14 and turn is 10. Maintenance is 1055, and purchase is 4817 (they used to cost twice that in the happy days of war).

The destroyer may be too slow, but the frigate does not hurt anything.

Also, how I would love a fighter bay on that destroyer right now. Size is 329, and I can build 400.

Frigate retirement should happen. 2 destroyers are better area protectors than 2 frigates, and can be abused more. For instance they got a troop compartment (that I don't want), which can make them an emergency capture force.

Research status is:

Weapons: We got all the starting techs. In addition enhanced torpedos, missile bombers, point defense, and bombard weapons. We are researching High Density Alloys.

Energy. We got component prefabrication and damage control. We are working on Efficient Energy Conversion, and thus have an engine upgrade. We have also completed nuclear supercharging.

HighTech: We lack gizmos. We are working on Countermeasures. We got improved resource exploration, marshy and continental colonization, enhanced transport, and coordinated control.

The danger - Plotting

I got a noble reputation. It is hard to be a bad guy when you can't attack due to low strength and general screwedness, and need to get rid of pirates. It is a hefty +23 with ackies which make them not hate me. And my crazy AI is not that crazy. I could end up at peace... The Acks are 11th in military power with some 8300 (I am second to last, my old allies are at the bottom). I need 73 destroyers to match the Ack military strength with destroyers alone, but some more space ports would help too. (400 strength mediums). My ship and base strength doesn't seem weak, Ackie mediums are in the 200s.

135 strength phantom fleet cruisers don't look that nasty compared to 113 strength destroyers. But I want their base for the goodies too (and I don't know where it is). Maybe I should try kill that 40 ship fleet anyways? 776k cash can build a lot of 5k destroyers, but I probably lack resources. The AI can suggest 200k ship builds... One issue with the phantom fleet is that it blocks two space ports the AI wants to build, and I need research labs. And there is a mining location or two the AI wants to use that are also hit.

My AI is furious with the Sakurrea (light green Wekkarus) and Ackies. If I buff my military strength, something could happen. It would be typical of an AI diplomat to declare war right as I enter battle with the phantom fleet, though

And yes, all empires has been discovered, but the galaxy is not fully explored.

It's tough to be the school bully when you stand a clear foot shorter than anyone else right? [:D]

The start certainly was a dampener on early expansion.

If I had manual control it would be a lot faster. Faster peace (probably), and for sure more early mines. For instance: Find a caslon source nearby with steel source orbiting. One fleet to protect both, even if the defender has to be close enough.

Lots of stupid constructors in the next episode too (that I have played). It needs image upload and proofreading. It may not look like i proofread, but I actually get rid of some errors

I was at total mercy of the the Acks, though. 8-10 troops and 1 frigate. A determined attacker could wipe my few colonies, but I doubt the AI carry enough troops. And they for sure are not able to string conquests that well.

Operation Fleet Tuning

This game has challenges I never had before. Like retrofitting. Still no non-gas mines, but luckily a couple of steel colonies.

Retrofitting a destroyer means building 4 epsilon torpedoes, and who knows what kind of havoc that will cause...

Method: Retrofit approx 5 destroyers at a time to avoid the lot being stuck. Once they complete, send pairs to replace frigate fleets sitting at mines (3-4 of them), and send the frigates back to retire. Repeat.

24k build suggestion registered. I reject building a northern MSP, and will do so when prepared.

Stupid retrofit on multi select in ship list won't work. Oh well.

The south pirate busters killed the base, and we inherited a pirate base east of our ally's capital in the east. 21 ships included, some have repair orders to their base. I gather them in a fleet and send them to our capital with the plan to retire. Giving the retire order where they are would make them retire at their old base. Too bad fleets can't get retire orders. A bunch of them sit in the very SE quadrant of the map. That is a long trek. One is missing hyperdrive and is scrapped.

The south pirate busters will have a slow trip to fuel.

The eagle's den got 13k caslon sitting there. If nothing else it could help our ally, so we keep it.

The pirate fleet is confusing my ship count

We got a weapon research station in the N'zuth where we have spent a lot of time defending a gas mine in the early days. Yay.

We got an alliance with the Grand Ruundan Hegemony, the yellow Phaerax in the NW. The Naxx is the last friendly crew, that are not allied (Dhayut, Mortalen are allied too).

Countermeasures done, moving on to the improved version.

No problems with the retrofit. all but 4 are done, and those are still chasing fuel after the pirate base busting (but getting close). No former pirate is anywhere close to reaching the capital...

Constructor in the NE meet silvermist again. It could be a reason why those areas are not settled, you know. The silvermist is operating around where light blue (ackie) and white colonies meet in the NE. The left of the two Ackies is gone...

Our Old Allies want help against the Lipid again. Who are we to refuse? That is way out of our areas, though, but could cost us the pirate fuel base.

Battle 1 has 13 destroyers being retrofitted with damage control. 6 destroyers have taken over protection duties in pairs, and skip this upgrade at this time. Phantom pirates roam Ussos, the colony next to ours north of the capital, but only escorts. Otherwise pirates are quiet.

We book 7 destroyers, to have 20 available for various battle stuff. We also book 2 troop transports (to have 6).

Our agents are stealing research info from various sources.

Our allies are at war with the Ackies in addition to the Lipid. We are not asked about ackies, though.

Our yellow allies want help against the Visara Kingdom. The dark green Visareen of the very NW. Sure...

Calls for help disappear, so we only got the two wars we can't fight, instead of 3-4-5...

A colony ship is built to colonize a 57% water world in the Ilukas system (southern with spaceport). 4 colonies will at least make that system a chore to conquer.

Attempt at action

We have a couple of war with distant enemies. The 20 destroyer Battle 1 of 2260 firepower head to our northern colony, where we will try build a medium space port. A single phantom is chasing our constructor in the system just to the north if this.

The parasites want to end war, we don't mind.

The Irgishoe Junction, white guys at war with our yellow allies, has lost its leader. Go allies!

Battle 1 arrives at Happuwae Minor 1. We book the medium space port. We also had a request to build a MSP at the NW, but we have tried that too, and it was killed.

Advisors hints at 118k worth of building. No details given. Cashflow at -24k, and we choose to ignore, but remember the request.

We have an emeros mine way into the NE among the red, allied, colonies. And and the attempt bugged by phantoms north of our chosen field of battle. Will the phantoms come by?

Cruel Mayhem, a 190 firepower cruiser of the Phantom Fleet, attack our MSP build. It never fires a shot at the space port as approximatly 80 torpedoes heads for it alongside a few maxos blaster shots.



The lousy fleet admiral get a nice little targeting buff.

A few days later, more ships arrive. Frigate, 3 destroyers, a carrier. Carrier is targeted. And way more ships.



Carrier dies, our ships take damage.

Pirate destroyers are 74 strength. Some are stronger (inherited). A pirate cruiser is heavily damaged. Happy with the kill, the pirate fleet jumps away. 1 frigate and 1 carrier confirmed dead, too bad the cruiser jumped. 18 survivors are given order to attack a carrier found lingering. It is damaged quite a bit away from the battle, so its presence is a bit of a mystery. The 18 survivors head home for repairs after their kill, 7 are damaged, 2 dead.

Pirate Fuel 1, the inherited pirate base, is destroyed in an explosion...

We remember the 113k ship booking, and ask for 12 destroyers at 58k cost.

We regard 17k MSPs as a tad expensive base to kill a few Phantom ships, but two less carriers should help with the initial hit received (fighters). We so much would wish for a fighter bay on our destroyers

Damaged compnents on the destroyers range from 1 to 38...

Inherited pirates are actually somewhat close to reaching the capital system. That is some of them, others are still 3-4 sectors away (those starting in the SE).

One destroyer with 2/3 fuel cells damaged limp for repairs while out of fuel.

We contemplate whether we know where the Phantoms live or not. Their response was pretty quick, and there is a nice bug that reveals bases when you click their system. It is less than 1 sector NW of our battle spot, between two Ackie colonies (and their influence circles). Could a mining ship pretty please head there?

We research enhanced armor. Next are light interceptors. We ask battle 1 to retrofit.

Still 115k suggestions for ship building.

There is a very sick destroyer left at the battle system. We scrap it.

A mortalen fleet of 5 troop transports and 1 frigate drops by our capital to refuel. That one is a decent distance away from home.

Our research station in the N'zuth system is blown up. So much for long distance war (two northerners).

Freighters report of a phantom attack on an Ackadrian medium space port a bit north. We are not too sad, but wish the space port had a bit more firepower right now...

New defense pact with Qilla. I guess calls fly by without me being asked. The yellows are not allies anymore.

One war down in the north.

The AI wants the pirate fleet heading slowly home (out of fuel) to attack a mining base 6 sectors north, and a bit beyond that. Good idea!

We are still working on repairing and retrofitting the stragglers, as the ackies impose trade sanctions. Sign of life!

We decide that we have noticed that Phantom base, and book 10 more destroyers, since the AI want to spend 130k. The location is about 1 sector length straight north from the capital.

There is a spam as 10 destroyers are completed over 2 space ports. It is almost like the empire is... functioning! A colony ship is complete for a rather crap colony in our SE area where we got a gas mine.

We order the 39 ship battle 1 to refuel, to bring in the guys from the south (built there).

The Ackies blockade Proa (their usual target). We ponder if it is really a good idea to pirate hunt right now. They soon enough lift it alongside the trade sanctions. And apply it again.

A gas mine is destoryed by sabotage. Sigh.

We wait a bit for the Ackies.
And peace, the last pointless war of base destruction ends.

Our allies suffer under ackie attacks, and have a contested parasite colony in their home system. They are not exactly our strong, big brother.

Live hard, die young. The 39 ship battle 1 goes pirate hunting. They move to the star of the suspected system, under tight control. They will be prone to end up out of fuel after fighting.

Light interceptors complete, light torpedo bombers next.

It is 2796.09.11 and battle 1 is within the vicinity of the target system. "Engage when attacked".

We spot 2 defensive bases in the 200s, a base in the 400s and some 6 ships. Battle 1 moves to a spot behind the base, away from the defensive bases. A bit close, one dies, and the whole fleet is here. Operation micromanage.

Some destroyers sport phasers. That is a bit of surprise, apart from them being tech focus.

Things die, some destroyers die. Battle 1 are ordered to attack ships while heading for the base.

Focus shifts to base. Shields on base gone on 1 or 2 salvos of torpedoes.



Odd looking cruisers appear (the fleet refueled at a defensive base, and more are there), while our leading ship takes a beating.





The two defensive bases follow (no gifts), ships die on both sides. Afterwards 33 ships head home. Time to refuel, the road will be a slow limp at the end.

We find ourselves at war with the northerners, not quite sure how that happened.

Two destroyers of no hyper drive remain, they deserve a chance to be repaired. These are in addition to the 33 of Battle 1

All phantoms are not dead, some attack a fresh gas mine in our northish area.

Our government is overthrown, and foreign influence is suspected. We are now under feudalism.

Things happen while fighting, we have no alliances, and Ackies lift trade sanctions...

Spies, mine dies... Not a gas one. Constructors are in ho hurry, and repair a destroyer.

We had maxos blasters for a long time, then some sport phasers, and now the design is rail guns...

A huge galactic war starts. We got our mystery ones with the northerners. One of them ends quite soon.

Battle 1 retrofits, now with 35 ships after picking up the two that was repaired by a constructor.

A normal pirate attacks a mine, destroyer protection kills the one, and the one following. Hah! First attack for ages that are not of phantom type in the north.

Battle 1 sheds 16 ships to Battle 2, 15 remain in Battle 1.

Battle 2 sets base at Huppawoe Minor 1 (the northern), and will try shepherd a medium spaceport build. Hopefully the phantoms are out of fuel and generally weaker... those that survived.

Raider 6, a 2 destroyer fleet defending mines out west, refuels and heads out to try kill a pirate base (just a bit further west) that a mining ship discovered. The source of the ships killed, probably. The base will die with no noise made about attacks. Nor any loot. Or maybe someone else killed it? Who knows...

Missing destroyers located in a protection fleet. Battle 1 gains 3...

New, non specified build orders. We notice that we got 4 constructors and 6 explorers, and order 2+4 to give 6 constructors and 10 explorers.

The MSP build is rather swift, and suggestion for a MSP in NW is up. Battle 1 move there to babysit.

Mines start popping up mining gold and such near the capital. 10 gas, 8 other. Already in year 2800 we start building mining bases that a normal empire has from day 1

Northern space port complete with no incident of any kind.

NW space port completed quite fast (missing items shipped in quickly).

Brown guys up north, that we have had phony wars with, lost their leader. They are tiny. And once more, they struggle a bit in war with the Yellows. In a while they are wiped out by yellow bombardment.

Once satisfied with caslon and emeros crystal, the constructors are quite efficient at filling our systems with mines.

It is time to end with a status and a strangeness. Why did some of my destroyers have phasers, when I have not even researched enhanced beam weapons which is a prerequisite? I have reitred the pirates, maybe they took some weapons lying around?

Status



The galaxy map has only a slight modification for our empire, the new colony in a system SE. It is just maybe bumping the light blue influence circle a bit. We are of course the purple in central, low.

Worth noticing is the area between red, white, and two blues up right. The upper part of the void is silvermist territory. The reds have revealed their areas through frequent alliances, and there is a whole lot of pirate bases there. The AI is not fond of wiping those.

Just north of my purple area, there are two ackie (light blue) circles that are ot connected. That yellow dot in the area in between is where the phantom fleet had its base.



The capital has a large space port. Ilukas 2, Huppawoe Minor 1 and Pliados 3 got medium space ports. I am kind of hoping to tickle the AI into ordering a few more. At least Sy Myrth 1. One of the Sy Myrth got a defensive base (by AI order), my only one.



Money is relaxed. The minuses are happening when ships are built in quantities. Cashflow probably keeps the AI back, and it would not hurt to have less expenses, nor is it important apart from the spaceport side. I interpret the disappearing "build stuff for 200k" as permissions to use some money on military ships.



It was fun watching two constructors moving between the systems as the medium spaceports were completed. 13 mining stations is still low, but it is not critical. Medium spaceports appeared fast, 10 destroyers built with no fuzz, and 30+ out of fuel destroyers got fuel at the capital spaceport after the pirate bust.



We are no giants, but not first to die (the dark brown guys in the north are history).
Our ally struggles, picked on by the Ackies in the north, and light brown parasite guys in the SE. They struggle so much we are not even allied, just free trade these days.

The next goal should be to get into war. One question is my government. A spy mission turned it into Feudalism. I wonder if I should go back to military dictatorship.

Also, it does not seem likely that the Ackdarian attacks. Nor the Wekkarus in Sakurrea. Both have contested mining bases, though, and both have taken colonies from me in the past.

The question, though, is how to get my AI to declare war. If the Acks have just above 13k military strength, how much is needed for a Reckless AI to attack?

The catch is that if I start to build destroyers (and a few transports), the AI may refuse to ask for a space port in Sy Myrth. So the best idea could even be to retire a battle fleet...

I guess next up is to wait a bit, hoping for the spaceport orders to come at new year or something. The two built came fast, and they are not that much better than Sy Myrth 1. This would help with military strength, and other than that maybe 4 new troop transports to 10, and a third battle fleet of 15 destroyer.

I want carriers badly... And resupply ships, and eventually cruisers. Resupply ships are not critical as long as caslon is well supplied, the next Ackie war should be short range. I already dream of moving in to hit 3 spaceports at once...

My other big want is long range scanners, and at least I got proximity ones from the pirate loot... But planetary governance should not be finished anytime soon.

Getting rid of the legendaries, getting the mines up. This marks the point when a normal game can start.

I don't think the Yor AI will want to stay at peace long, I wouldn't worry about that I'd use this peace time to get any retrofits, building and prepare your fleets in good attacking positions for the inevitable. You could even sit your fleets in enemy territory to really wind them up!
As for the government, not sure, is feudalism the one that is friends with monarchies/dictatorships? I don't remember but it will affect who your friends are likely to be, if any. Pretty sure feudalism is the one that has the most likely chance of revolt though which can tear a big chunk of your Empire apart. I wouldn't stay with Feudalism but I would pick based on what your potential friends are using.