posted 07-06-99 02:39 PM ET        

Maybe this might not be the right Forum - I don�t know. It�s not really Starts and Tacs more a game description and it�s one of the oddest one�s I�ve played. Anyway, indulge me first flame me later. Some of you sad people might even be remotely interested.

So, it�s an SP Librarian (I�m not a �HARDMAN�), standard planet, and random map. I�m Morgan as usual at the top of the map on what turns out to be my own continent with Mt Planet. The whole place is, though, a bit arid.

Lal and Zak get turned over early by Yang. And by mid-game we have a miniscule presence of Santiago, Deidre and Mim. A slightly larger presence by myself - only 8 bases, though. Meanwhile Yang has expanded everywhere - blue covers the map when I finally get that hydroponics pod up. My tactics are appeasement - just pay them what they want. Even those little guys who are below me - the extra tech means they worry Yang a (little) bit more. But we all know, sooner or later good ole Sheng-Ji�s gonna come for me.

But what�s this - Planetary Council. Unite behind Yang as supreme leader. Yeay, he�s just overrun Deidre�s Fishery and grabbed the Empath Guild. He�s defeated by a whisker but that means I have to get sneaky. I know the base exchange bug is the easiest way to fix him. So, I�m setting that up with a new sea base. In fact, I�m generous as I have the �new bases at pop 3� SP (can never remember its name). But that�s too slow - friend Yang has launched a surprise attack with nerve gas. OK. A few years with choppers have stilled this (as we know the AI can�t fight a multi-continental war).

All of a sudden, it�s the supreme leader thing again. Guess what? The other three (in yet further reduced circumstances) roll over and Yang is in charge. I either accept this or face vendetta from the lot. Well, I may be a builder but I�m not a quitter - and DEFINTELY not to Yang.So, let�s tough this out. I�m ahead in tech but really really small compared to Yang. I�ve Pressure Domed and built all the environicies I can. I�ve switched from FM to Green. This means......................

PB time. For a builder like me this is a rarity. I unleash a couple, ideally hoping to leave isolated islands that I can take over with probes and use as PB staging posts.

Anyway, Planetary Council time again. launch solar shade. And again improve Solar Shade (or whatever it says). Apparently global sea levels are falling more rapidly than my serial PB-ing which is the only way I�ve decided I�m gonna get this game over with. I could transcend or wait 15 turns for the corner energy market thing but Yang needs to be taught a lesson.

Let�s look what happened - only Yang and I seriously develpoped but his industry is still in the stone age. Mine is advanced, but small and eco protected. These AI geezers over-reacted with the solar shade. So here I am chucking PBs around in Yang like volumes, with the religous fervour of Mim and the attitude of Santiago with a personality disorder - and the sea levels are still falling. And hardy a mindworm in sight...

What happens when the tide goes out?