OK, I do a planetary tour. Almost everything looks spiffy. The only thing I change is setting our original UP to regrow pop instead of do research. The only mission in life I ever see for this planet is to provide Marines, which it did with aplomb at the start of our western offensive, and is nicely situated to do for the southern one.
I see that we can grab 2 radiated planets. BOTH are Ultra Rich. One is safely in the back yard, the other on the front lines. Although the front line one could be considered risky, I'm going to grab it anyway. I'll fill it with pop, tell em to make a shield and bases, and if it succeedes, then ill build factories. I have nothing to lose that way really.
I'd post some screens of how we're doing vs the competition, but it'd only make you puke. Basically we're arround 1.5x the Alkari, and double anyone else in all categories except fleet strength, where we are last, but competitive with all but the Alkari.
He'res a look at the map at least
I decide to invade Xendala from Tau Cygni and Reticuli. We'll have 80 Hyper-X boats arrive the same time as the troops do.
Since the target planet is poor, I won't be able to just flip arround a shield and bases, so, ill wan't something to help the Hyper-X boats guard our new forward base. There are a couple options. I could go for a Large with Heavy Blast Cannons, or I could just whip up 100 fighters out of thin air. Given that no one has repulsors or dissipators, and I don't expect anyone to in the short to mid term, I decide on this little design.
The fleet in the NW corner seems to have finished playing traffic cop up there, so I order it to go take a look at that Psilon planet up there, just in case we need to invade it to get the Fusion Bombs.
OK, its been like half an hour, maybe I should see what this Next Turn button does
2343 - I design a colship to settle the 2 Radiated. I'm going to pass on the small Toxic as the Alkari have Toxic tech.
I send 50 Million from Reticuli to join the 67 million from Tau Cygni. Thats 113 million. Almost ceartianally overkill, but hey. Better to be sure.
2344 - We lose a few ships because I misclcked. I think we'll be ok. We wiped out like 200 Alkari fighters for the price of 13 fighters and 4 missile boats, so it's not the end of the world. We get a cpu/const choice off the alkari. I go for CPU and get Jammer II.
2345 - We arrive at the "alternate" Psilon planet. We're not impressed,. Hmm. it's size 100 and has 200 factories.
They take out some of our forces but we slag the bases and 63 Bobcats and 107 Ferrets survive
Meanwhile, we get to steal off the Psilons, weapons and Computers are available
Well, that sort of made this whole deal a pointless exercize didn't it?
The 2 colony ships complete. I send them on their way.
I hold off on designing the fusion bomber. I want those fusion drives for it and I have a plan to get them
I cue up a nice little invasion of the Psilon's Nebula Planet. 32 million from Beta Ceti and 52 Million from Crypto. We have better toys, so it should be enough. I build a few more Hyper-X boats. Sure they are becoming dated, but I want a 3rd fleet for something in particular
After that, I'll build a few more fighters, then bombers, bombers, bombers