MOO1 Klackon Game

[vmxa]

I forget the numbers, but iirc it is a 50% hit on reserves. I tend to only use Ultra and sometimes Rich planets to add to reserves. That money is then given to Artifact planets to get the research boost.

Later I may run a UR on 40-50% reserves to augment spending on new planets. If it is a small map, then probably none of that wil occur as I may not even have any UR or Artifact planets.

Anyway, I doubt you need to mess with the UP, just let them add pop and eventually some factories. The Coids will not be a threat, just too weak. The 100 pop is swell, but they are probably not going to have that for long.

They do poorly at growth and will probably ship pop of the HW frequently. Just keep expanding and out producting them on all the planets. They will soon fall far behind.

They will not have friends and not do well at trading or alliances.

 

[vmxa]

I went ahead and got the Supernove expansion for Armada 2526. May as well start from the most current.

 

[Harv]

^^I do not know what Armada 2526 is but will look it up.

Recently I have been going very retro on the gaming. A month and a half ago I picked up Starflight. I also just picked up XCom.

MOO1 and MOO2 were about a year ago. One nice thing about MOO1 is that you get to encounter Alien Ships before actually making First Contact.

The Silicoids do get a Population Growth Penalty just like in MOO2?

What do you mean a 50% hit on reserves? Does that mean if I take 10% for Planetary Reserves but only get 5%? I will have to read up about it in the Manual.

 

[vmxa]

You have two ways to add funds to the reserve. 1) via the planetary screen, using the Reserve function. The other is to use the Eco slider, when you already have all allowed factories.

The first one I never have used, but it is empire wide. In either case only half of it goes into the reserves. You pay a sort of carrying charge. If the reserve fund is spent at a planet that has a bonus, you sort of get some of that carrying charge back.

If the money comes from a Rich or UR, you sort of offset the loss as the industry is multiplied by being rich or UR.

I am not fond of using either tactic, but will at times. Mostly in the late game, where I want to stand up a new planet quickly and have many planets at full production. You are giving up the BC that would have gone to research, but at that point you are more concerned about getting that new planet up and running on its own.

 

[vmxa]

I never played Starflight, but I did buy it when it came out for my son and he loved it. There use to be a web site for one of the founders and they were trying to get the game redone for current systems.

Another game I liked a lot was Space Empires III. SEIV was not bad and V was not so good. If you want to go retro check out Ascendancy. I really liked it back in 94 and stil get in one game a year. That and Alien Legacy.

 

[Harv]

^^If you bought Starflight for your son and I played Starlfight as a kid, he must be pretty close to my age in real life.

I played up to the year 2336. The Klackon continue to grow and are trying to explore the extent of the Silicoid threat. There are lots of pictures so I have to split the up into two posts.

Spoiler :

At the end of the year 2325, Scouts explored the M-Class system of Stalaz, but found nothing that could be colonized, in either the near term or the long term.

Year 2326 another Colony M0 was ready at Kholdan.

This ship is destined for the Aurora System and will arrive in 4 years.

The scout ship is a couple of years away from another M-Class star and will go there.

End of Year 2326 - Toranor is colonized by the Klackon.

Scouts explore the Paranar System. However it is a Frozen Planet that the Silicoids have already colonized.

Year 2327: We are not able to colonize there so we will just watch it closely for development. In th mean time, the Scout Ship charted a course towards the Xengara system.

With Toranor just colonized, 18 Colonists have been sent from Yarrow.

End of year 2327: Scout explore the Willow system. It has a Tiny Toxic planet, but it is Rich in resources.

Year 2328: The scout ship went on to explore another M-Class star.

End of Year 2328: Scouts explore the Silicoid System of Xengara. It is Toxic and Rich and suited perfectly for the Silicoids.

Year 2329: The Scout went on towards Beta Ceti.

End of Year 2329: A colony is established on Aurora.

Resources are exceptionally scarce so industry will be expensive to build - but its purpose is to fill the upcoming Esper System with Colonists.

Year 2330: 22 Colonists have been transfered from Kholdan to Aurora while Kholdan finishes one more Colony M0.

In this year Exis was fully developed as a Reserach planet and this was therefore an appropriate time to open up the rest of the research fields. Research was changed to 50% Planetology and 10% for each of the other 5 fields.

For Computers this opened up the Deep Space Scanner.

In Force Fields the Klackon worked on better Deflector Shields.

For Weaponry, they worked on Hand Lasers. With all of the Laser Technology available this should be a very easy project.

End of year 2330: Scouts explore the Rho System. It has a Barren planet.

Year 2331: The Colony M0 Ship destined for the Esper System is ready in Kholdan.

It immediately charts a course for Esper.

Rather than spend 16 years getting to an unexplored part of space, this Scout Ship charted a course to Beta Ceti to keep an eye and antanna on the Silicoids.

The Scout ship got redesigned. Kholdan will produce 6 of them in the next year.

End of Year 2331: Scouts explore Beta Ceti.

It is an Ocean World and it suppors 100 Colonists - after cleaning up the Silicoid Pollution.

So if I want to invade the Silicoids, then I need either Deuterium Fuel Cells or I need Tundra Landings. I am currently working on the Deuterium Fuel Cells and will step up the research project as soon as I am close to finishing the research on Eco Restoration.

 

[Harv]

The rest of Part 5 takes us to the cononization of Esper.

Spoiler :

Year 2332: 6 Scout 0's produced on Kholdan.

The Silicoid Scout went on to explore the Quayal System.

The New Scouts from Kholdan went off in different directions. A Red Star

A Blue Star

Another Red Star

Another Blue Star

A Green Star

And another Red Star

These will take 7 to 9 Years to arrive. In the mean time there are the Silicoids to deal with. We designed an Army Ant Ship full of Nuculear Missiles. These should serve to harass the Silicoid colonies. In large numbers they should be able to take out Large ships.

Year 2334: The first of these new Army Ant N0's have been produced in Kholdan.

All of these ships are going straight to the Toranor System.

Reserach has been changed to 50% Propulsion.

End of Year 2334: Scouts have encountered a "Morey" Class Silicoid Destroyer at Quayal and were forced to retreat.

Given that no Missiles were fired this appears to be a Laser Weapon Ship.

So it may be a while before I know what the Quayal System holds. On the brighter side this was a good year for Klackon Discoveries. They improved their Industrial Tech.

And they improved on Planetary Pollution.

Projects went on towards Reduced Waste.

And Klackon Engineers are working on how to survive in a Frozen Tundra environment.

Research may take several years yet.

Year 2335: Another Army Ant N0 is ready in Kholdan and charts a course for Toranor.

The Scout that had to retreat from Quayal went to Xengara.

End of year 2335:
Klackon Engineers have now developed a Hand Laser Weapon for the Troopers.

They went on to develop an improved missile system.

The Esper System was colonized by the Klackon.

So we are up to the year 2336. Army Ant Destroyers armed with Nuculear Missiles are being produced in Kholdan and sent down to the Toranaor System since that is the border with the Silicoids.

Here is the current state of Silicoid Technology.

They have Deuterium Fuel Cells. This will allow them to expand until they run out of room.

Here is an overall comparision of the Klackon and the Silicoids.

The Klackon have an edge in Technology and Production but they have the advantage in Fleet Strength and Planets and overall Power.

 

[vmxa]

He was born in 1976, my daughter was 8. He was pretty young at the time the game came out. He had the advantage that I had been in computers since 1964, so he he grew up with that. Runs networking for Newsweek now.

Not fond of 5 shot missles, unless they are intended to defend. One or two shots is what I do with them and they can retreat, while the beamers hash it out. The 2 shots are nice to whack a few bases, if you can get in range. That allows you to have a lot more missiles in the air. The small size with a 2 shot, if it can fit is great. Now you have lots of them and they are going to take a lot to kill, unless they have spill over weapons and they won't. By the time they do you are not using missiles.

If I feel I cannot muster up beamers that can last, I have a few times, made large missile ships with 5 shots. Those can get in their 5 shots and survive, I hope. Still it has beenshown that small ships with a single gun and no other or maybe a Battle Comp can be stack in large numbers and deal with early fights just fine.

 

[Harv]

About the Army Ant N0 Ships having the 5 Nukes instead of the 2 Shot and Run - I was thinking about bombing planets.

This round took a lot longer than I thought I would. I played up until I had either controlled Tundra Environment or Deuterium Cells since either of those would allow me to continue expanding. This took us from 2336 to 2347.

There are lots of pictures so I have to split this into two or three parts.

Here is the game played up to the end of Year 2339. It features sightings of two more races.

Spoiler :

Year 2336: Two Army Ant N0's were built in Kholdan. They are all being sent to Toranor to prepare for an Invasion - whatever side of the invasion that may be.

Esper was just recently colonized. Aurora sent some 16 Colonists.

Year 2337: Here is another attempt to scout out Quayal. It appears to be guarded.

A Human Scout Ship has been sighted!

End of Year 2338: Scouts explore the Phantos System and find a Frozen Planet.

Year 2339: The Scouts contine to move. This one goes to a nearby Blue Star.

This one to a nearby Yellow Star.

End of Year 2339: Klackon Scouts engage a Meklar Colony Ship at the Star System Omicron. We forced them to retreat.

Klackon Scouts engage the Silicoids at Quayal. It appears to be well guarded.

The Silicoid Fleet consisted of 2 Morey Class and 1 Colony Ship.

Scouts explore Primodius - a Frozen World.

Omicron where we engaged the Meklar. I do not know if they have the landing tech for Barren.

Argus - Another Dead Planet

So we have contact with the Silicoids, and have sightings of Humans and Meklar. According to the calculation of Drake's Equation there should be two more races in the Galaxy that we have yet to encounter.

Spoiler :

Year 2340: The Scout retreated from Quayal back to Beta Ceti.

The newer Scout 0's moved on to a Red Star and a White Star.

Propulsion was nearing completion so I diverted reserch into Planetology. Either technology would allow expansion or invasion.

End of Year 2340:
Scouts explore the Misha System but it had no planets.

The Proxima System is Colonizable and can support a lot of population but has no resources.

Year 2341:
The scouts continue their exploration, each charting a course to a nearby Green Star.

End of year 2341: Klackon Engineers achieve a breakthrough in improving Shield Technology.

They immediately go to work applying this technology to the Klackon Soldiers who may be invading Silicoid Planets. This will improve Kill Ratios.

Scouts explore Spica but find no Worlds to colonize.

Guess what? Spica is actually the right color! The Scout continues to explore.

Klackon Engineers make another breakthrough - this time in Sensors and Scanners. They now have the range to see 3 of the Silicoid Star Systems.

The Computer Engineers continue on to work on improving the Targeting System for the Gatling Laser Cannons.

Scouts explore Rigel. It features an Ocean World with no Resources.

It is also the wrong color. The other system, Kronos, features an Inferno.

So we continue to roll the Research Dice and explore new Systems. There is not much we can do until we either improve our range or our landing technology.

 

[vmxa]

I think you have your fair share of UP planets. I don't recall any fertile planets.

 

[Harv]

We continue.

Spoiler :

Year 2343: The Scout Ships continue to move.

Aurora transfered more Colonists to nearby Esper. The entire purpose of the Aurora Colony is to provide Colonists to nearby Systems that actually have Resources.

Scouts explore the Endoria System and find a world not much unlike their homeworld Kholdan.

Year 2344: The scout continues from the Endoria System.

Beta Ceti continues to have a stubborn Silicoid Guard.

This time the Silicoids have a Shark Class Ship. We engaged them long enough to realize that the Silicoids are specializing in Beam Weapons instead of Missile Weapons.

Scouts explore the Ajax System and the Gorra System.

Year 2345:
The Scout Ship again tries to explore the Quayal System.

A Psilon Scout Ship has been detected.

Since Planetology research was nearing completion, Research was diverted towards Force Fields to work on that Personal Deflector Shield.

Scouts engaged the Meklar at Meklon and have retreated.

It looks like they were able to build many ships, but colonize little. Scouts also engaged the incoming Psilon Scout at Ajax, but they retreated.

Klackon Engineers made another breakthrough - this time in missile weaponry.

They continue their work on anti-missile weaponry.

Scouts explore Denubius and find a Jungle World.

It is already inhabited by the Humans.

Year 2346: Scouts retreat to the Endoria and Omicron Systems.

A Meklar Scout Ship was engaged at the Moro System. They retreated.

A breakthrough was achieved in reducing Industrial Waste.

And finally we finished research on Deuterium Fuel Cells.

Projects continued into Industrial Technology.

And Nuculear Engines.

Scouts explore the Moro System but find no planets.

So finally we have the technology we need to expand and more is on its way!

We were building the Army Ant N0's to deal with the Silicoids - and we have 33 of them.

Here is a summary of my Planets. I guess I could have taken a picture of the Planets Screen, but here it is:
Kholdan 96 Pop 187+5.8 Factories 283/311 Production
Exis 40 Pop 80 Factories 120/132 Production into 196 Research
Aurora 32 Pop 36/40 Production into 2 Population
Esper 51 Pop 35+8.8 Factories 91/101 Production
Yarrow 53 Pop 61/66 Production into 61 Research
Toranor 44 Pop 50/56 Production in 50 Research

Here is a look at my technology:

 

[Harv]

Looking at the Silicoids:

Spoiler :

They have 10 Systems to our 6 Systems. We can see 3 of these Systems.
Paranar is Tundra with 8/15 Population and 3 Factories.
Xengara is Toxic Rich with 26/30 Population and 10 Factories.
Beta Ceti is Ocean with 14/104 Population and 21 Factories.

They have just cleaned out the Klackon Spy Network.

The Intelligence, however, appears to be current. They have ECM 1 and Terraforming 10.

Here is a comparison of our Empires. The Klackon are getting stronger!

With the improved range of Deuterium Fuel Cells I can either ignore the Silicoids and continue to expand - or I can start an Invasion. I am thinking about sending my most recent ships to Tau Ceti since they can reach and will get there in 11 Years. When I get the Tundra Technology then I can move on the Paranor System.

In the mean time there is a Steppe System that can be colonized now. Tundra will also open up a few new worlds.

EDIT: Tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday!

 

[vmxa]

You can research straight down the tree in an avg level, but at impossible you often will want to skip over some techs to get better ones.

For instance, there is no need to research anti missiles. You do not need them.

Not real fond of spending on spying so early, especially at this level. I have better things to do with the limited gold available. There are always planets that can use a boost. How well you fare on spying is largely a function of your computer level vs theirs.

 

[Harv]

You can research straight down the tree in an avg level, but at impossible you often will want to skip over some techs to get better ones.

For instance, there is no need to research anti missiles. You do not need them.

These points are well taken. This is an average level game so we are finding the bugs in my game and working them out.

Not real fond of spending on spying so early, especially at this level. I have better things to do with the limited gold available. There are always planets that can use a boost. How well you fare on spying is largely a function of your computer level vs theirs.

With Spying what I wanted was to find out what the Silicoids had in terms of Technology. What I should have done was slow down my Espionage budget when I got the Spy planted - or at least try to steal the Deuterium Fuel Cells given how much I had invested in the project.

I think you have your fair share of UP planets. I don't recall any fertile planets.

My UP Planets are my Fertile Planets.

 

[vmxa]

You will eventually get their tech via invasions. I steal a tech, when I need a critical tech right now. In an impossible level and I am having my hands full, I may also steal. It is often fruitless as they tend to have a better comp tech.

 

[Harv]

The improved range of Deuterium Fuel Cells opens up many doors.

Year 2347:

Spoiler :

Army Ants 31, 32, and 33 chart a course for the Beta Ceti System. With this many ships we might as well mount an Invasion. Beta Ceti is the only one within Invasion Range.

This sets the Invasion Clock at 12 Years. However Kholdan stopped making Army Ants and started to build Colony Ships as the Herculis System is now within range. The Invasion is intended as a Diversion to slow the Silicoids down.

The Scout Ships with their improved range go on to more distant targets.

The end of the year marked another critical breakthrough for Klackon Engineers.

Controlled Tundra Environment allows for the colonization of nearby Frozen Worlds. It also allows the Invasion of the Paranar System. The next project is Controlled Barren Environment.

I really should have skipped this but it is cheap and I thought I could recover the investment with the increase in Planetology Level and maybe some savings by landing on a couple of Barren Planets.

Amazingly enough, Scouts were able to explore the Quayal System. It was not quite the prize I thought it was going to be.

Year 2348:

Spoiler :

The Scout went on to explore the Silicoid Iranha System.

A new Invasion is being planned. 16 Army Ants are sent from Toranor to Paranar.

Invaders are coming along.

Reinforcements are being sent.

Scouts continue to explore new worlds.

A Tundra Colony Ship was designed, named Colony T0.

The Standard Colony Ship we redesigned and named Colony M1.

Year 2349:

Spoiler :

Scouts continue to explore deeper into Space.

They Explore Tao - a Jungle World.

Burning Hot Maalor

Frozen Ultra Rich Drakka

Year 2350:

Spoiler :

A Colony Ship is produced in Kholdan.

It charts a course to the Herculis System.

The Invasion force arrives at Paranar and amazingly enough captures it with 6 Survivors.

10 Reinforcements are coming. I was not expecting such easy success so we will have to act quickly to accomodate them.

Needless to say we are now at war with the Silicoids.

 

[Harv]

Year 2351:

Spoiler :

With Paranar out of the way, an Invasion of Beta Ceti can now be planned. The 16 Army Ants chart a course to Beta Ceti.

They are accompanied by 2 Invaders. These are the Suicide Troops that were going to die anyway.

More Army Ants come in from the Toranor System.

These are accompanied by a somewhat larger Invasion Force.

Reinforcements are coming from the Yarrow System.

Years of infiltrating the Silicoid Bases are starting to pay off.

Improved Terraforming 10 is a good early technology that we did not otherwise have access to and investment will pay off very quickly.

Scouts explore the Iranha System and find a Terran Planet that the Silicoids are polluting.

Year 2352:

Spoiler :

A colony T0 is produced at Kholdan.

It charts a course to the nearby Celtsi System.

The Scout continues to explore Silicoid Space - this time to the Talas System.

Scouts explore the Ryoun System.

Year 2353: The Battle of Beta Ceti

Spoiler :

The Convergence of forces towards the Beta Ceti System continues.

Here begins the Battle at Beta Ceti.

The Silicoids fielded a Shark and 4 Moreys.

The battle was a loss as the Army Ants ran out of missiles. They were able to destroy the Shark and 2 of the Morey Class Silicoid Ships while losing 4 Army Ants so the resulting odds were good.

The Retreat unfortunately resulted in the loss of the 2 Invaders.

Scouts continue their explorations - Neptunus

Talos

Year 2354:

Spoiler :

The Scout in Silicoid Territory moved on to the Rayden System.

The 12 surviving Army Ants "Retreated" to the Quayal System.

Hindsight says they should have just gone back to Paranar.

Scouts engaged a Human Scout at the Tao System.

Meklar at the Neptunis System.

They had quite a fleet - 1 Tornado and 15 Tormentors!

Another Human Scout was encountered at Ryoun.

A colony was founded at Celtsi.

There is a good chance I mismanaged the Battle of Beta Ceti a bit. Apparently the Silicoids are using the ECM Jammers on their ships and that is enabling them to get in up close and personal.

 

[Harv]

Year 2355:

Spoiler :

Another Colony T0 is built at Kholdan.

It is headed to the Primodius System.

No time is wasted populating the newly colonized Celsti System.

Scouts continue to explore.

13 Klackon Soldiers attack Beta Ceti but they were heavily outnumbered and did not stand much of a chance. Hopefully the attack hurts them more.

As a stroke of luck, a Wealthy Merchant has decided to help the Klackons.

Year 2356:

Spoiler :

Investments start pouring in Research Projects at Exis.

Apparently the Silicoids have decided to counter attack Paranar.

The Army Ant Invasion Force engaged a Silicoid Morey, but it saw the odds and retreated.

A New Colony was Founded at Herculis.

Scouts explore the Rayden System.

The Quayal System was attacked and Bombed, destroying 1 Factory. Apparently Invasion Fleets are not as destructive in MOO1 as they are in MOO2.

The Suicide Invasion Force was indeed a Suicide - 56 Colonists remain on Beta Ceti.

Year 2357:

Spoiler :

A Colony M1 was produced at Kholdan.

It charted a course to Proxima.

The Scout in Silicoid Territory was sent to investigate Chryslon.

The Invasion Force of 12 Army Ants at Quayal were sent back to Beta Ceti.

Colonists were sent to the newly founded Herculis System.

Money continues to pour into the Exis Research Facilities.

The Paranar System got attacked and bombed.

Beta Ceti was bombed but only one factory was destroyed.

 

[Harv]

Year 2358:

Spoiler :

Scout ships continue to explore.

Funding continues for Exis.

Klackon Spies have cleaned out Silicoid Technology.

After a couple of disasterous invasions of Beta Ceti, Klackon Engineers have perfected the Personal Deflector Shield.

Barren Planet Landings are now cheaper with the proper module.

Projects continue towards improving Shield Technology

and Dead Planet Landings.

Scouts explore the system of Zoctan.

They find information valuable to improving pollution cleanup technology.

The Bombing of Paranar continues.

This brings us to the present year 2359:

Spoiler :

Colony T0's were produced on Kholdan and Esper. They chart courses towards Phantos and Omicron.

The last of the funding is used at Exis.

The Scout Ship continues its exploration.

The Siliciods are planning an invasion to retake Paranar. They are facing 20 Colonists with Personal Deflector Shields.

Here is a peak at our technology.

Klackon Spies have cleaned out Silicoid Technology and have shifted towards Sabotage Missions. Espionage should really be scaled back a little bit.

Here is a peak at Silicoid Technology. It may improve substantially if the Invasion at Paranar succeeds.

Here is a comparison of the Klackon and Silicoid Empires. The number of Systems is currently tied at 9.

This is as far as I got for now. I should look at starting a new ship design and building in between Colony Ships.

We are four turns from contact with the Meklar Empire. The Humans and Psilons have also been encountered. The other race in the Galaxy is unknown and probaly has the entire left side of the map. The Humans and the Meklar appear to be stuck in the top right corner.

 

[vmxa]

Not a lot of value in sabotage of planets, unless you are able to bust missile bases on the one you are about to invade.

You need bombs to really do damage so ealry in the game. Either that or more guns with large beamer ships. It depends on the level of the guns/battle comp and their defensive levels.

You can try to make the battle last while you get in more rounds, if they have ships there. Split the ships and hit the planet and use fewer ships to battle their ships (need to have more than one type in the battle). If they just retreat, you do not get in attacks on the planet and just get the bombing phase.