MOO1 Sakkra Game

[Harv]

Well the last game with the Klackon was fun even if there was a lot of cleanup action at the end. Here is another game.

This time I will try your advice that Impossible on a Medium Map is a good game.

This time I am going with the Sakkra - shifting the game focus from Production to Reproduction.

So the idea is to keep the Colonies coming. Here is the start.

We are in the top right corner of the map. There are 4 Stars within the Colony Ship's 3 Parsec Range: 2 M-Class, 1 G-Class, and 1 F-Class. 4 more Stars are within the Scout Ships 6 Parsec Range.

So the Colony Ship should go to the Yellow G-Class Star and the Scout Ships will go to the Red M-Class Stars and in 3 Years we should have a good chance find finding something that can be colonized.

Regarding Research - The Manual I have says the Sakkra are excellent at Planetology but it does not show any Research Weakness. Is this correct?

 

[vmxa]

AFAIK that is correct, but I have not played them in a long time.

 

[neilkaz]

I'll follow along with this game and see if I can remember how to play MOO1 after 15 years.

 

[Harv]

In the Final Sequel of Jurassic Park the Humans once again try to recreate the Dinosaurs and genetically alter them to breed really fast and fill the world. In this Episode - the Dinosaurs win and the Raptors kill nearly everybody and surviving Humans flee into a Space Ship and fly to one of the stars just like they fled the Island in the Original Jurassic Park.

It is not known whether any Humans survive in this galaxy. The Raptors are more clever than anybody ever imagined and take over the Earth and develop the technology that was left behind. They become the Sakkra and rename their world Sssla.

2300 years later they have reconstructed enough Space Age Technology and are ready to take over their Galaxy just like they took over their Island and their World. Two Scout Ships and a single Colony Ship are ready. They arrive at the end of the Year 2302.

One of the scout ships finds Alpha Centauri! It features a small world rich in mineral resources but very hostile to life - much like the second planet of their own system. The Planet is named Centauri after the closest star system.

The other Scout Ship finds a Colonizable world called Selia.

The Colony Ship, flying to the Yellow G-Class Star, finds the real prize.

Hmmmm.... The guy in the Space Suit does not have a Tail.

So we have established our first Colony outside of our Home System and we have another system that we can colonize. Selia does not bring any new planets into range, but there is still that White F-Class Star to check out and that one is in range.

I am thinking with the Sakkra being the Sakkra, the name of the game is to build new Colonies at all costs. Therefore, we should stop whatever we are doing on Sssla and build another ship and colonize Selia because the Production lost on Sssla by not building Factories is more than made up for by the Reproduction on the New Colonies.

 

[vmxa]

All in all I would say those three planets are more than a fair start.

 

[Harv]

Year 2303:
As mentioned above, a Colony on Selia will not bring any new Stars in the Colony Ship's 3 Parsec Range. There is still an F-Class Star within range and a Scout Ship will arrive there in three years. The other scout ship will go to an M-Class Star 4 Parsecs away from Whynil and will arrive in 6 years.

Nearby Selia is colonizable and therefore we will stop everything we are doing on Sssla and build a new Colony Ship. This one we shall name the Plesiosaur, after that Monster which ruled the seas many years ago.

In the mean time, we sent 16 Colonists to the newly established Colony at Whynil to help it grow faster.

Year 2305: Scouts explore the Rigel System and find a dry but colonizable world.

Year 2306: Colonizing the Rigel System will put another M-Class star within 3-Parsec Range so we will send our Scout Ship there next.

As further news, the Home System of Sssla has detected an Alien Psilon Scout Ship orbiting Selia so we should move quickly.

Year 2308: Scouts explore the Zhardan System. It is Life Supporting but nearly devoid of Minerals.

Volantis is a much better prize.

Year 2309: Scouts travel to a White Star 6 Years away and a Red Star 7 Years away.

Year 2314: The First Plesiosaur is produced and it charts a course to colonize the Rigel System. Sssla immediately goes to work building another one.

We also engaged the Psilons at the Omicron System, forcing their Scout Ship to retreat. Exploring the Omicron System revealed a Desert World.

Year 2315: One of our Scout Ships has found the Mysterious, Legendary Orion System and got promptly destroyed by the Guardian.

So we are one year away from having our third Colony established and we have two more in range to colonize. We know of two more Worlds that can be Colonized and we have one Scout Ship left to find more. Very soon we will need access to more range so research will start very shortly on Propulsion and more specifically Extended Fuel Range.

 

[Harv]

Year 2316: It is apparent that the Sakkra need to improve upon the range of their ships. Sssla is busily producing the Plesiosaur Colony Ships for the systems that can be reached. Whynil starts a little bit of research into Propulsion.

The first Project is Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Range 4.

Rigel is colonized.

Year 2317: 16 Colonists are sent from Sssla to Rigel to get it started. Meanwhile Scouts explore the Rayden System.

Year 2323: Another Plesiosaur is ready in Sssla and it charts a 5 Year course to the Volantis System.

Year 2325: We engaged a Psilon Colony Ship at the Omicron System and forced it to retreat.

Year 2327: With Propulsion at 10% nearing completion we started on a new project in Planetology.

That project is Improved Terraforming +10 - Of course any Planetology Research Project involving the Sakkra has to involve fitting more Sakkra on the same Planet.

Meanwhile, a new Colony is established on Volantis.

Year 2328: 30 Colonists were transported to the new Volantis Colony. Research was moved from Whynil to Rigel so that Whynil can focus on building a new Plesiosaur Colony Ship for Zhardan. We have four systems colonized and more on the way and we seem to be doing well. However.....

Year 2329: Sakkra Scientists have improved and perfected the Hydrogen Fuel Cells and this will help our Colonies reach further. The next project is Irridium for much more range, but the project is so expensive right now it can be effectively shelved. We will put a little bit in each year.

Year 2331: Research is set to 80% Planetology and 20% Propulsion.

Year 2332: A Plesiosaur is ready at Sssla. It charts a 3 year course to the Selia System. The Psilon Colony Ship has returned and we drove it back.

Year 2333: We redesigned the Scout Ship and named it the Pterodactyl - and started production on it at the Volantis Colony so that it can immediately explore any systems nearby that can be colonized.

Year 2334: The first Pterodactyl producted charts a course to a Green A-Class Star 4 Parsecs away from Volantis. Meanwhile a new Colony is built in Selia.

Year 2335: A Plesiosaur is built on Whynil. It charts a 4-year course to the Zhardan System. 23 Colonists are transfered from the Sssla system to the new Selia Colony.

Research is changed to 40% Construction, 40% Planetology, and 20% Planetology. Research in Industrial Technology is started to reduce the Construction Costs of new Factories.

Meanwhile, a Klackon Scout Ship has been detected.

Year 2336: We have acheived a breakthrough in Terraforming. As we were discussing Sakkra and Planetology, the next project is how to fit more Sakkra on the same Planet.

Year 2337: A Pterodactyl is built on Volantis and it charts a course to a Blue B-Class Star 5 Years away. The first Pterodactyl engaged a Klackon Scout Ship at the Darrian System and forced it to retreat.

Year 2338: The Psilon Colony Ship has returned to the Omicron System. This time it brought a friend.

A new Colony has been built on Zhardan.

The Psilons have built a Colony on Omicron. This puts us into contact.

The Psilons have 5 Systems. We have 6 and some extra population. The Psilons seem to have all the rest of the advantages.

Here is a look at our planets. Whynil is the best developed. As soon as the Plesiosaur is built on Sssla, it will industrialize.

Zhardan is simply a place to store more Sakkra. Industrializing it will be expensive. Eventually it will just produce research.

Here is our technology. Rigel, Selia, and Zhardan will be dedicated to producing Technology because they are smaller. The larger worlds will be producing Ships.

Should we treat the Psilons well or poorly? The first thing I am thinking of is planting a spy network to see what goodies they have. Further decisions will depend on how far we can expand. This has not been determined yet.

 

[vmxa]

You have to make extra scouts right away (at the start of game), so you can be first to as many places as you reach. If they are first, they get to scan it. That means they will sent a colony, if in reach. You can drive it away for a time, but they will soon send some guns and their colony ships will soon have guns.

If they scan it and you colonize it, they will send troops. You may or may not beat them back, but it will cost you pop. Better to not let them get there first.

 

[neilkaz]

How much can you expand playing Impossible before the AI's start attacking and trying to take your colonies?

 

[vmxa]

Depends on the map and its size. In Moo1 they send troops and act like nothing happen. IOW no DOW, if the troops did or did not capture your colony. So they can take colonies and still not be at war.

On a small map, they will come right away as there are so few planets. Medium, you have some time, unless you are close to one. In a medium map you want tohave ships with guns to prevent them from colonizing planets you want down the road a bit and to hold ones you are trying to standup.

We do not have a screen of the galaxy, so we have no way to understand what the odds are and the timing. He does not want to knwo who is in the game, iirc.

 

[scratchthepitch]

Been following these 2 threads and find Harv's dry account of how the game is progressing very entertaining. This is bringing back some old memories from the 90's when I first began using computers, but I don't really remember much of the game or how it worked. I regret that I don't have MOO1 any more.

 

[Harv]

^^Thanks! I never knew dry = very entertaining! I got MOO1+MOO2 from gog - but I hear MOO1 is free.

MOO1 appears to be pure 4X but I am just starting to learn how to play it - so the lessons are coming in.

So the consequences of not building the Scouts right away is the Psilons got to Colonize Omicron and scan Selia. I do not know what systems the Klackons have scanned.

They sure got a jump on Technology. I have a big priority on finding out exactly what they have.

Sakkra advantages are at the very start. When the Colonies are full size, the Sakkra are Galctic Average at everything. So I believe we should move quickly. At full size, we need to be 50% bigger than the Psilons to match production - more since we are playing at Impossible. I will look at the difficulty levels again.

[EDIT: I also figure that with the Sakkra advantage being population growth, we have an advantage against the Klackons and the Psilons in ground combat.]

The next big race is to colonize Darrian. Then we have to see what else we can reach. It may well be Omicron or Bust.

I should be able to post something later tonight. I will also look up some names for some ship designs - but am open to suggestions.

We do not have a screen of the galaxy, so we have no way to understand what the odds are and the timing. He does not want to knwo who is in the game, iirc.

I have not looked at the big map, but have contact with the Psilons and we have seen Klackons and heard about Silicoids. It is kind of fun to play like this because it gives the pre-First Contact feel.

Also, some of the pics above show a Galaxy Map. We are in the top right corner of the map. I did check location. Kholdan is the second Yellow Star from the top right corner of the map.

 

[vmxa]

You can get Moo1 free on a number of sites. Use to offer it on Atari, not sure if they still do. GoG is dirt cheap and they package it up with DosBox, so you do not have to fool around with it. I mean for that is not an issue, but some will like that.

I buy stuff form GoG that alreay have, just to help them out. I mean Age Of Wonders for 2.99 right now. I was playing that just a month ago.

Ground combat is not much of an edge, as you can offset it with tech or numbers or bombing.

The bigger the map, the more I would tend to get extra scouts out. On a small map, I do not build any extra scouts. You either get to the planet first and colonize or you probably can't reach it.

 

[vmxa]

Oh those galaxy screen are way too small for me to see.

 

[scratchthepitch]

Harv & vmxa

Thanks both of you for the MOO1 info. I'll have to get a copy and see what old memories it conjures up.

Harv

"I have not looked at the big map, but have contact with the Psilons and we have seen Klackons and heard about Silicoids. It is kind of fun to play like this because it gives the pre-First Contact feel."

That's one of the things I like about MOO2. If you don't have the omniscient trait, you don't know where the others are, or even who they are.

 

[Harv]

^^Ah yes - MOO2 you are looking at the entire Galaxy Map. I have a friend visiting in about a month so I will have to brush up on that because he plays it a lot. By pre-contact I meant you get to "interact" with their ships before finally meeting with them.

The main priority of this segment has been to find out what the Psilons have - and maybe even how to get some of it! Basically if we do not find any Planets soon, we are pretty much stuck with what we have.

Year 2340: Scouts explore the Artemis System, but this offers little prospect of expansion.

The Zoctan System is also explored.

Year 2341: Sakkra Spies have established a Network in Psilon Territory. They have quite an impressive array of technology. They even have the Ion Cannon. Did they find that from an Artifact World?

Scouts also explore the Uxmai System. This can be colonized. However it is currently out of the range of our ships.

Year 2342: Another Plesiosaur is produced at Sssla and it heads to colonize Darrian. After this we are out of places to expand to.

Year 2343: Scouts explore another colonizable world. However it is also out of range.

Psilon Technology continues to increase. They also have formed an alliance with the Humans.

Year 2345: Scouts try to explore the Psilon Home World of Mentar and they run into their huge battle fleet. Mentar has 23 Missile Bases, 31 Star Blazers, and 4 Star Wings.

How did they build so much?

Year 2347: Scouts explore the systems of Gion and Primodius and find planets at neither. They also engaged a Silicoid Colony Ship at the Gion System.

Year 2348: A colony is built at Darrian. This concludes our expansion and we are stuck at 7 Systems until either we can extend our range or improve our landing technology. We may have to deal with that Psilon Fleet.

Year 2349: 30 Colonists were sent to Darrian. We changed our research to 50% Construction and 10% in each of the other 5 fields. Construction Research is at 2%. New Projects were started.

Deep Space Scanner - This will help us see incoming Psilon Ships better.

Class 2 Deflector Shield

Hyper V Rockets - I was not sure which one to pick but went with the Rockets because the Psilons have a good Beam Weapon.

Scouts explored the Ajax System.

Year 2351: Whynil is now fully developed and we decided to focus on Research. Research is now focused on Planetology to develop the Terraforming 20. Scouts engaged a Silicoid Scout and Human Colony Ship at the Tauri System.

Year 2353: Sakkra Spies have achieved a breakthrough in working with the Psilons, and have returned with technology to increase the range of their ships.

The disks they brought back to the Research Bases at Whynil with the critical technology were infected with a virus and have destroyed all research on the Irridium Fuel Cells.

The Psilons knew about it all along! They are not pleased.

They still have plenty of technology to share.

Here is our technology.

Here are our empires compared side by side.

They still have 5 Systems. For them that is enough to do quite a bit of damage. They had a pretty big fleet stationed at Mentar.

We have 7 Systems and a couple of them are well developed.

The technology steal was a critical one! Now we can do something! We did not provoke a war but we should be working on a fleet soon or Selia is going to get whipped. We should also bid for the Uxmai and Maretta Systems and grab them while we can.

Suggestions? What kind of ship should we build?

 

[vmxa]

It is much harder to make those determinations in Moo1 with out a save. If you cannot reach any planets, you may want to try to make a huge colony ship with reserve tanks, if it is not a killier to build.

I have had to do that a few times with a less than wonderful map. You cannot afford to not expand so soon or they will fill the planets and box you up.

You got a break in that the brains are not researching computers. That is what determines your chances of stealing and what choices you get to steal.

 

[vmxa]

It was a hard call on the weapons. The missile is always important at impossible IMO. The thing is you have no real gun, so the Gatling may have been more useful right now.

You probably cannot use nukes on smalls right now, not sure as I seldom have tried it. You really cannot do much damage with small or even medium lasers. What I have had to do a few times here is make a huge design with lasers and try to hold on to any key points.

You do not want to do that, unless it the only way as it will hurt your progress. I would for sure not want to send out any more colony ships without some escorts though. Like I said they can send troops and not DOW.

If you don't have ships to stop the troops, you lose your planet and will be hard press to get it back. You need some cash to use to help stand up new places and get missile bases.

You may consider getting some trade going with one of the farther away races. I hate to that, but you may need a friend come vote time. The reason I dislike that is that eventually they will break the trade and come after you.

Usually soon after you start to make a profit on it. It also is a drain early in the game. I personally do not use them, but they have a place.

 

[Harv]

It is much harder to make those determinations in Moo1 with out a save.

I am going to try my luck. To get the screen shots to work in windows 7, I have been playing as administrator. It is possible these saves might be completely different games. If that is the case I will have to look for them under administrator.

 

[vmxa]

Just run dosbox in full screen and then let it screen print. I do not know how you installed. I installed like the dos days. IOW not in the program files, but into MPS/Orion. So admin should not be an issue.