MOO1 Sakkra Game

[Harv]

I am going to have to learn a few things about ship design and combat because it gets very ugly very soon.

If I am at a disadvantage in technology at this level should I be investing a lot in spying? It did pay off against the Psilons and Deuterium Fuel Cells.

The Klackons are getting both those planets we were talking about. We are still in a position where winning is possible, correct?

Did the save games make sense?

I might break down the next rounds a little bit more.

 

[vmxa]

Whoops got side trackignwatching LoL and trying tostart up a game of SPace Rangers II. Let me load up the save real quick.

 

[vmxa]

Site is buzy and I could not post a few mins ago.


A very quick peek. This is just my fast impressions and perspective, so a grain of salt for sure. I would not build ships out of planets that are not fairly well built up with factories. That little bit of BC can get you 2 more factories per turn and of course that compounds.

I want factories now as I want to get MB and soon some research on the planet.

I would put those front line planets with factories on some missile duty as I may have to discourage invasion soon.

Yes I would steal, but would want to do it after a war is declared or risk war now.

I would want to take care about ships. If you have ships at a planet, they will stay and attack. This may or may not be what you want at that time. I put up a ship, if I want them to stay and send the ships away, if not.

It will be a rough game from here on out. MB wil be your friend.

 

[neilkaz]

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.

I recall quite a few times when I played MOO1, making a long range colony ship, and I recall being disappointed when I couldn't do that in MOO2.

 

[vmxa]

Well they gave you another option in Moo2, the outpost. It can sometimes be used to "extend" the range. Not quite as good, since you may not have anything to plant one on. I am not sure, but I have a vague idea that you can put them on stars. I may have that confused with another game though.

I know I did that in some game, but it not sure which one.

 

[Harv]

Site is buzy and I could not post a few mins ago.

It will be a rough game from here on out. MB wil be your friend.

I have been finding out the hard way. I was dealing with that issue in the last game I played where you commented all the planet defense was making you think of Warlords 4.

So Missile Bases need to go on the border planets and I should not be dealing with that issue as much any more. Do the back planets build Research or Missile Cruisers?

I am on a bit of a diversion now. I might play a little bit of MOO2 since I have a friend coming over and he migh play a good bit of that. There are three ways to go with custom races, one that synergizes with each form of government, right? (Unification+Production, Democracy + Lithovore, Feudalism + Telepathic)

 

[vmxa]

Uni is a solid choice. Can add pop like sub. All of those work. I rarely will play Tele as I find that to not be fun. A tele feud with Omi is a very short game.

 

[scratchthepitch]

I am on a bit of a diversion now. I might play a little bit of MOO2 since I have a friend coming over and he migh play a good bit of that. There are three ways to go with custom races, one that synergizes with each form of government, right? (Unification+Production, Democracy + Lithovore, Feudalism + Telepathic)

A tele-creative custom race will almost certainly give a win. With uni I tend to like adding increased research, and with demo I'll add increased ind. This helps fill the weaknesses of those government types and give a strong base. There is enough left over points that can be used to give each an additional specialty, such as ships/fleet, ground attack, spying, pop, money, etc. Going a little different route, a uni gov with +2 ind and rich home will give you max production, add in a higher pop capacity and or growth and you have a race that out builds everyone. Another powerhouse can be had by putting demo, creative, +1 or +2 research and artifacts home together, if there is enough points for max research and rise fast up the tech tree. Tolerant and lith together means no worries about food or pollution, so being stuck with dictatorship or feudal is not that bad.

The custom races are much more fun to play around with than the standard races and you can come up with some really strange combos, too.

 

[Harv]

Okay - I am getting more of the sense that the idea of sending scouts out as pickets is a good idea and at the very least it would slow my opponents down.

This is take three from the year 2354 after taking a little break. I ended up going with the advice that staying away from ships and the concept that Missile Bases are my friend.

Year 2354 - With the range required to reach Uxmai, we started on a Plesiosaur on Volantis. We had our first engagement with the Bulrathi at Toranar and they drove the Pterodactyl Scout off with 9 Missile Bases and 3 Claw.

Sakkra Scientists have acheived a breakthrough in Industrial Engineering.

Year 2355 - The First High Council Meeting ends in a Stalemate.

I do not like it when I do not have at least one third of the vote. Then there is no way to stop the vote if everybody is against us. We have 6 Votes out of 20 and we are going to be stuck there unless we get some steam going. The Bulrathi have 4 Votes and appear to be in a corner. The Psilons and Silicoids have 3 each, and the Klackon and Humans have 2 each.

We formally met the Klackon.

Year 2356 - Apparently they do not like us.

Year 2357 - Darrian and Volantis are within range of their Fleet - so they start the slow building of Missile Base Defenses. Scouts explore the dead world of Misha.

Year 2360 - Sakkra Scientists have improved Terraforming Technology and are now starting work on Dead Planet Landings.

Year 2361 - We have formally met the Silicoids.

Year 2363 - Scientist have achieved a breakthrough in developing a Deep Space Scanner - and have installed one on Volantis just in time to see a couple of Klackon Ships arriving.

Year 2364 - Weapon Researchers have developed the Hyper V Rockets and started work on a Neutron Pellet Gun.

Year 2365 - Sakkra Agents have infiltrated the Klackons, stealing some ECM Technology and framing the Silicoids.

Year 2366 - The Klackons have arrived at Volantis in time to find two missile bases waiting. Both ships are defeated.

So it is currently the year 2367 and we have a bit of a grind. The next election is in 8 years and should end in another stalemate - but we are already at maximum population and our rivals will grow. We will have to find a way to defeat the Klackon Fleet and take those two planets, Maretta and Uxmai.

Here is a look at the Galaxy Map.

Empire Stats

Klackon Technology

Silicoid Technology

Psilon Technology

Our Planets

 

[neilkaz]

Good that you're working on Neutron Pellet Gun as you'll need warships quickly. At least in MOO2, the AI's will get nasty and threatening and attack if you have no fleet.

I recall, from way back when I played MOO1 and from the strategy guide which somehow I still have and which I feel is the best mass market strat guide ever written for this type of game (most are worse than worthless) Neutron Pellet Guns had great bang for the buck and space required.

.. neilkaz ..

 

[Harv]

I still worry that I took one difficulty jump too many and should have tried Hard before trying Impossible and therefore have not developed the skills to come back from behind. In the next game I might have to step back a notch.

I tried some offline games and indeed decided that building the Scouts and sending them as pickets is a good idea. In this game it might have gained me Maretta and Uxmai.

Anyway I am going to have a house guest in for a week and will not be able to post much. Then I will be free for a week and then I will have more house guests.

 

[vmxa]

You can get away without many scouts below impossible, althought it helps at all levels. The thing about levels in most tbs games, is experience paysoff. Know what to expect and when to expect it.

 

[neilkaz]

Harv, I think you're OK in this game. Finish Neutron Pellet research and make a fleet to both fight your Klackon enemy and to not appear to be too weak to the other races so they don't piggy back and also DOW you.

.. neilkaz ..

 

[Harv]

I got a free evening and might be more free over the weekend, so I played out another 11 years and came to another juncture to seek advice.

Year 2367: We engaged the Bulrathi at the Rana System. It looks like they are starting to build Huge Ships.

Sakkra Scientists have developed improved shields and have gone on to apply the technology to the troop level.

Year 2369: We engaged the Bulrathi at the Ursa System. Their ships are getting bigger and bigger.

Year 2370: We changed our research focus to Weapons to develop the Neutron Pellet Gun.

Year 2374: The Silicoids are developing a lead in colonizing Systems.

The Galactic High Council has met again - with inconclusive results. However I still do not like it when I do not control one third of the population. It does mean I have to play a little bit of politics.

We formally met the surviving Human Race.

Perhaps they liked our little version of "Jurasic Park." They gave us a couple of votes for best motion picture and best story.

Year 2375: We changed our research focus to Planetology just before scientists achieved a breakthrough in Industrial Technology. Research continues in Armor Technology. The troops are going to need help soon!

Year 2376: The Scientists got some help! Sakkra in the field have come home from the Klackon Empire with some Industrial Technology.

Sakkra Planetologists have achieved a breakthrough. This only affects what planets we can take over given that nearly everything is colonized. Research continues to Toxic Environments.

Year 2377: Research focus has changed to Propulsion and Weapon Scientists have build a prototype for the Neutron Pellet Gun. Research continues to develop technology for the troops.

It is time to hunt some bugs! Here is a proposed ship design for the Herrerasaur.

Here is a peek at the Galaxy Map.

And here is a peek at race stats. I did not take pics of individual race technologies but can describe them. I have not yet planted a spy in Human Space yet.

Contact with the Bulrathi is not that far away.

 

[vmxa]

Movement speed of 1 is going to make combat very sticky. I would want at least 2 moves to prevent the range 2 beams from hitting me for free. Have you seen repulsors on their ships?

You will not be able to fight at any planets with missile bases with that 1 move ship as you will get hit so many times, before you can arrive next to the planet.

 

[Harv]

That is why I stopped the game where I did. Now I can either:

1. Work with Cruiser Size Ships as Designed above.
2. Work with Cruiser Size Missile Ships.
3. Work with Missile Bases until I get more Technology.

It is looking like the Technology I will need is Inertial Stabilizer.

 

[vmxa]

Well you do not have to have Stabilizer, they are useful though. You cannot afford the space just yet. If they are not fielding beam that have splash damage, you can use small ships with NPG and massive numbers.

If they are not big on anti missile defensive ships, missile ships will work. It is hard to say how long any of these will work. I would not want to invest in large design, till I had good survivial odds for them.

 

[Harv]

Small Ship, Neutron Pellet Gun, Mark 1 Computer, No Shield? 16BC? So I can get 39 of them for the price of the Cruiser I showed above?

 

[vmxa]

That is a reasonable way to go. Are any of the planets at the top in range and habitable?