posted 08-06-99 02:55 PM ET        

Game 6 started out much the same as my previous 5. Except this time, I played a customized race(thanks Stargazer). I used the human icon and picked subterranean and +1 food as options and off I went. Unfortunately for me, I ran into both the Bulrathi and Silicoids early in the game. Needless to say, they viewed me as the turkey on Thanksgiving and I knew that my battle would be uphill at best.

After building 8 or 9 colonies, I soon found myself at odds with the Bulrathi. Fortunately, the Silicoids only chose to teach me a quick lesson by lopping off three outposts without pressing the attack. OTOH, the Bulrathi wanted blood and we fought a series of sharp and inconclusive battles that left us both exhausted.

At this point the Silicoids smelled blood in the water and launched a huge offensive against the Bulrathi. Why not me god only knows. I could only sit and watch as colony after colony was mercilously eradicated. It was at this point that I saw my only glimmer of hope. The silicoids were destroying the colonies and not building new ones. I quickly changed my production to colony ships and a small, elite force of Slammer Class battle ships. My objective would be to colonize these developed plantes, knock off the Guardian and pray that the Silicoids wouln't shift their strategy until it was too late. Literally, I was betting it all on a pair of fives.

The Silicoid / Bulrathi war continued and I became stronger and stronger as new colonies were built. I could even convert production to by Nemesis Class Titans and soon Orion was mine. Still well down on all power graphs, I offered a 10% tithe to the Silicoids and I enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity that spurred an exponential growth of my fleet and tech. I even had enough ships to launch the final attack on the Bulrathi homeworld that gave me another large Terran planet. Not only that, but the Silicoids were so thankful for my help that they foolishly offered me an alliance that I needed much more than them......

Sorry, but duty calls and I'll have to continue the saga in part II.

posted 08-06-99 05:08 PM ET            

Given the new found alliance with the Silicoids, an era of genuine peace ensued. I rapidly caught up and surpassed them in tech and broke about even in fleet strength. It was only when I started to create 4 planets in the Orion asteroid belts and pump in a 100+ population that I realized that my pair of fives had worked.

My population track began to soar and I was able to convert whole systems to the exclusive production of ships including my "Invincible and Oasis" class Doomstars. These fleets became incredibly powerful once I had maxed out the tech chart and started to build numerous bonus techs. Soon, my ships carried enormous batteries of mirved, armormed, ECCM, quantum detonator, super fast missiles; batteries of 50 disruptors; and unbelievable swarms of proton torpedos. (All of this was possible thanks to Darkstar who pointed out to upgrade existing ships)Well that and rush buying.

Following the colonization of the last system, the Silicoids made a feeble attempt to get themselves elected as the winner. Needless to say, the vote stalemated in my favor due to my larger population. Following this failed vote, the Silicoids first tried to trade for the "Quantum Detonator" tech and then killed my spies in the hopes of stealing it. Knowing that the power gap would rapidly close once they obtained this tech, I put my spies on the offensive with the hopes of provoking a fight sooner rather than later.

Sooner turned out to be the very next turn. The silicoids had carefully massed their entire fleet that included 67 battleships, 59 titans and more than 40 of the small boys. OTOH, I massed my battle fleet in the Orion system including 69 battleships, 68 titans and 39 doomstars. The Silicoids first launched a feint with a few small boys and knocked out an outpost on a gas giant. Not buying this feint, I patiently waited until the main fleet moved.

They move 3 turns later with a massed attack against my home system. Unknown to the Silicoids, I had the tech that allows you to jump from any of your systems in one turn and my battle fleet was ready and waiting when the Silicoids touched down.

Given that this battle took 20 minutes to resolve, I'll simply hit the high points. The zeon missiles were as thick as carpeting and ships were blowing up faster than I could follow. In the end only a handful of the Silicoid smallboys hit the retreat button and I sat back and counted my losses. 2 Doomstars, 1 Titan and 4 BB's.

It's now stardate 3568.4 and I have to decide. Do I mop them up to feed my ego? or do I start a new game and hope the A/I doesn't have a memory?

uncleroggy out