Pre Game
Open up the save, everything looks to be in good order, with Meklon and Bootis ready to finish terraforming next turn. The most pressing problem for us seems to be obtaining Phyco before the Rocks get it. Rng 4 won't get us there, and if there are no range techs in the next tier, we could be in trouble. However, after whipping out my ship design spreadsheet, I see that Rng 4 + 80% + Controlled Dead will allow us to build an LR col ship, so there could still be hope if we get shafted on propulsion tech. The only veto I make is to send the LR at Rayden to Phyco. There has been no activity in that area, and we can deploy an LR from Meklon faster anyway if necessary.
The Next 10 Years
I'm trying to get away from turnlog-style reporting, so forgive me if this turns out hard to follow. After hitting next turn, I get my first tough decision when Rng 4 comes in, and all 3 techs are available (Rng 5, Rng 6, and Stabilizers). Well, the stabilizers are obviously out, but what to do on the range front? Rng 5 is 1/3 the cost of Rng 6, and 1/4 the cost of Controlled Dead, so that would seem to be the best bet for obtaining Phyco. However, if the Rocks decide they really want the planet, then we'll have wasted 1000 RP by not jumping directly to Rng 6. Well, fortune favors the bold, so I decide to go with Rng 5 to try and make a serious play for Phyco. RW 80% also came in on my watch, with our only next option being IIT 8.
After terraforming and building 8 popguns for Jinga (may be a waste, but I'm paranoid!), Meklon built a col ship in 4 turns. In the mean time, the rocks sent one of their col ships at Pollus towards Jinga, and with no activity in the Maretta region, I decided to send that ship to Jinga first. I just don't like the idea with an alien race within 3 parsecs of our homeworld, and I don't think our xenophobic people would either
Meklon will finish Maretta's ship in 1 more turn, and there is an LR laser 2 turns from the planet. Jinga will be founded next turn.
Our lone scout peeked at Vox long enough to discover it was a size 45 minimal, then headed to the green star NW of there, and met a human scout over Hyboria, a size 75 Minimal. We both ran. This could have serious implications, as the very next turn the Darloks declared war on us, and the turn after that, Hyboria went green
I did manage to plant a spy with the shape shifters, they have Range 6, Class II shields, and terra +20%. By the time my turns ended, they were no longer allied with the Silicoids (phew!) but were with the Klackons. They can't reach us for now, but will be in range of Jinga.
On the homefront, I terraformed Rayden and Thrax when they could do it in two turns, and had them build some more factories, until my last three turns. I got a bad premonition about Phyco, so I switched Bootis over to some LR lasers and put the other two on research into Rng 5 (which has been running full bore since RW 80% popped). May be
, but I just had a bad feeling about it.
Post Game
We are still cruising as fast as we can at getting to Phyco. Range 5 is about halfway done, and there will be a contingent of 4 LR lasers there in a few turns; that should hold off all but a concentrated effort by the Silicoids. The Darlok conflict could get interesting when Jinga gets founded, as it should be in range of Hyboria. We may want to pause after Rng 5 and at least pick up the first techs in shields, computers, and weapons to be able to put some kind of defense together if the Darloks decide to turn this into a Real Fight(TM). I put Bootis back on research, and the border colonies on factories; next leader will have to decide how comfortable they are with our current fleet.
The Save
Open up the save, everything looks to be in good order, with Meklon and Bootis ready to finish terraforming next turn. The most pressing problem for us seems to be obtaining Phyco before the Rocks get it. Rng 4 won't get us there, and if there are no range techs in the next tier, we could be in trouble. However, after whipping out my ship design spreadsheet, I see that Rng 4 + 80% + Controlled Dead will allow us to build an LR col ship, so there could still be hope if we get shafted on propulsion tech. The only veto I make is to send the LR at Rayden to Phyco. There has been no activity in that area, and we can deploy an LR from Meklon faster anyway if necessary.
The Next 10 Years
I'm trying to get away from turnlog-style reporting, so forgive me if this turns out hard to follow. After hitting next turn, I get my first tough decision when Rng 4 comes in, and all 3 techs are available (Rng 5, Rng 6, and Stabilizers). Well, the stabilizers are obviously out, but what to do on the range front? Rng 5 is 1/3 the cost of Rng 6, and 1/4 the cost of Controlled Dead, so that would seem to be the best bet for obtaining Phyco. However, if the Rocks decide they really want the planet, then we'll have wasted 1000 RP by not jumping directly to Rng 6. Well, fortune favors the bold, so I decide to go with Rng 5 to try and make a serious play for Phyco. RW 80% also came in on my watch, with our only next option being IIT 8.
After terraforming and building 8 popguns for Jinga (may be a waste, but I'm paranoid!), Meklon built a col ship in 4 turns. In the mean time, the rocks sent one of their col ships at Pollus towards Jinga, and with no activity in the Maretta region, I decided to send that ship to Jinga first. I just don't like the idea with an alien race within 3 parsecs of our homeworld, and I don't think our xenophobic people would either
Meklon will finish Maretta's ship in 1 more turn, and there is an LR laser 2 turns from the planet. Jinga will be founded next turn.Our lone scout peeked at Vox long enough to discover it was a size 45 minimal, then headed to the green star NW of there, and met a human scout over Hyboria, a size 75 Minimal. We both ran. This could have serious implications, as the very next turn the Darloks declared war on us, and the turn after that, Hyboria went green
I did manage to plant a spy with the shape shifters, they have Range 6, Class II shields, and terra +20%. By the time my turns ended, they were no longer allied with the Silicoids (phew!) but were with the Klackons. They can't reach us for now, but will be in range of Jinga.On the homefront, I terraformed Rayden and Thrax when they could do it in two turns, and had them build some more factories, until my last three turns. I got a bad premonition about Phyco, so I switched Bootis over to some LR lasers and put the other two on research into Rng 5 (which has been running full bore since RW 80% popped). May be
, but I just had a bad feeling about it.Post Game
We are still cruising as fast as we can at getting to Phyco. Range 5 is about halfway done, and there will be a contingent of 4 LR lasers there in a few turns; that should hold off all but a concentrated effort by the Silicoids. The Darlok conflict could get interesting when Jinga gets founded, as it should be in range of Hyboria. We may want to pause after Rng 5 and at least pick up the first techs in shields, computers, and weapons to be able to put some kind of defense together if the Darloks decide to turn this into a Real Fight(TM). I put Bootis back on research, and the border colonies on factories; next leader will have to decide how comfortable they are with our current fleet.
The Save
. Check on Bulrathi and they are allied to Humans. Darlok colony ship spotted near Thrax, is headed away from our territory, likely coming from the south. Check on Darloks and they have Computer MK2, they likely stole it from the rockheads.
I actually have that manual, just buried in a box somewhere. So basically, that boils down to not being able to steal a tech that is higher than your best tech level. That would definitely put Range 6 out of the realm of possibility, but if we think the BC's are a good investment, we could take a stab at ECM I or Class II. Personally, I would use those BC's to speed our capture of Phyco, max our production sooner, and get something more than cardboard cutouts manning the walls, but that is of course the purvue of the next few emperors 
