Preamble
This is a war log that discribes the situation of the Crystalline during the first emperor game on planets.nu: The Scorpius War.
The aim is to give everyone an inside view of this running game, to share the experience I made and to explain the decisions I made in this specific situation. If you have ever analysed another players game and asked yourself why has he done this or reacted like that this war log may answer some of your questions. It´s not really a stagegy guide, however, i hope it will give other Crystalline players new ideas and another view on common issues and Crystalline issues in specific. As it is a running game I can not share too much details or the actual turn status but I will add more and more details to the turns as the game goes on.
Game analysis
Before I started this game, i had a close look on the specific game setup and made my assumptions.
- Only the highest ranking players are allowed to join.
I expect all players to be experts in thier race and they know the enemy races and what to do against them. In an expert game the ship limit will be reached very early. ==> I have to be fast with Starbases and outbuild the carrier races.
- All but the winner will loose thier rank
I expect everyone to fight to the last planet. ==> Diplomacy will be complex.
There will be absolutly no trust in this game. I expect a lot of temporary agreements and they will only last as long as both sides benefit. Don´t get to strong early or all unite against you.
To avoid any complains, i am sure Yoshua has manualy created a fair map with planets within 81ly distance around the homeworld and equel distance between the homeworlds. Most likly the middle will be free.
Tools
The tools I use to calculate my turn:
- Shiplist.xlsx: Excel file with all enemy ships I saw in the cluster (ID, Hull, Warp speed, Weapons, Mass, last turn seen)
- MassCost.xlsx: Excel file to calculate ship build costs and minerals, minefield size after sweeping, hull mass
- www.vgaplanets.ca: Web calculater I use to optimize my eco.
How to locate an enemy Homeworld
Details follwoing soon....
Details follwoing soon....
Map Analysis
Before you even send out your first ship, you need a plan. Before you can make your plan you need to analyze your current situation. In turn 1, you do not have much ships or planets to analyze, so concentrate on the map. Your goal is to get as much planets as possible and to keep them secure and easy to maintain. The closer together they are the better it is for your economy. To say it short, you want to control clusters. A cluster of planets also allow your LDSF to planet hop and stay hidden as long as possible. So the first thing to do is enable the connection view on the map menu. Now you can see the clusters directly and you can prepare your colonization plan.
My core cluster in Scorpius (marked with a red circle) is the heart of my empire. No other races are allowed to own planets in here. Between the single clusters you have natural border lines. A natural border line is always the most peaceful border line you can have. It will guaranty a clear and clean border and if you are neighboring a non-cloaker race, it will give you time to react and visibility of any hostile activity. Your aim should be to control a full cluster. If you mark the natural border lines (red lines on the map) between the clusters on your map, you can see which cluster to colonize first.
In my case it was cluster A, because it is close to my first colonizer when it reaches the most northern planet of my home cluster, it also has more planets than any other cluster nearby and most important, it will block my western neighbor to access the center of the map. That block will give me more time to capture the big clusters B and C myself. Cluster A will protect my homecluster to the northwest. The cluster D may not be the best economical cluster, however, this is a must have defensive position against my eastern neighbor. Also cluster D would be the bridgehead to clean out the southeast corner of the map.
Frontline length:
That brings us to the next step in analyzing the map. Possible frontlines. The shorter your frontline is, the better you can defend it. Step one is to use natural borders, but even if your possible enemy needs to fly 3 turns thought open space, you still need to keep a guard ship on that front. The longer the frontline the more guards you need to be save. The easiest way to shorten your frontline is to clean out a corner of the map. If you are located in a corner you can concentrate your forces of the enemy in front of you. Your backyard will be save as long as no Cobol or Firecloud bypass your frontline outside the map.
If you plan to colonize or attack a new cluster, make sure it will not overstretch your front. If you are low on forces, aim for a frontline that is easy to defend. Avoid “frontpockets” (german: Fronttaschen) as they usually lead to encirclement (german: Kesselschlacht).
It’s good to make a colonization plan before you move your first ship, but keep it flexible, the plan has to be adjusted to any new Information you get. Cloaking race neighbors or very good native planets will force you to amend your plan.
Timeline
Turn 1
Crystalline Homeworld in the Scorpius War
Starting in a Cluster of 13 Planets, 4 Planets within 81ly from my Homeworld. Made a plan how to colonize all in the shortest time, loaded the MDSF with 160clans and 40 supplies and send it to the planet nearby. Maxed the factories on the planets, mines to 201, defence still on 20, Tax to -5 happyness. Upgraded Hulls to Tech 6, so I can build Emeralds and LDSF. Engines to Tech 10, no way around that. Beams to 5. Torps to 8. Build an Emerald (TW, Desruptors, MK7) as it has huge Cargo and will be the biggest ship next to the Resolute for the next 10-15 turns. It will never get useless. Used the calculation sheet to make sure I can build the ships I need the next turns. Send out diplomats to all other races.
Turn 2
A good start, the first planet has 5,2 mio Humanoids Tribal. Not a chash planet, but i can build hulls. Onyx, Diamonds and Crystal Thunder. All ships that will not move or die early in a Combo. Beamed down 120clans and 36 supplies and moved on to the next planet. Have to go back soon to get more clans form my HW. The Emerald is loaded with 390clans and 120 supplies. No need for torps, i can build them later in space if i find some cash on a good native planet.
Turn 3
Build a LDSF, will need it to bring natives to the first cash planet i hopefully find soon. 2,7mio Amphibian Anarchy and a non native, but good mineral planet. I need cash if i want to survive. All ambasadors arrived, good that everyone is communicating.
Turn 4
Finally, 3,3mio Avian Participatory, this will be my first chash planet, dropped just 1 clan from my Emerald, the LDSF will do the rest i need the emerald to move on and scout. Another non native planet, but at least good source of Moly.
Turn 5
1000mcs in turn 6, thats the start i was looking for. The LDSF is heading home again, i dropped all clans on the Avian Planet. Will build a second LDSF
Turn 6
Found 2 more chash planet this turn! Each of them will bring 1000mcs a turn. Need to bring more clans and prepare for the first web. I
The Rebel and the EE have build there second Starbase this turn. Need to hurry or they will fill the shipqueue with HYPers.
Turn 7 First Contact
Contact!! not really, but the privateer stole an empire probe and the EE publiched the Pirates Homeworld. So my neigbor is the Privateer and the EE will be near aswell. I need to lay webs to stop the MBRs and with a little luck i will have cloakers soon! Need to get back to my homeworld to bring more clans to my 3 chash planets, Colonial already has 14 planets, i have 9, need to get my Eco running. Will bring minerals and cash for a second base to the Humanoid planet this turn. This will allow me to build good hulls, need some terraformer anyway
Turn 8
Another non-native planet, but 2 out of 3 cash planets are running.I am the one with the least planets and that damn Lizard build his hisser base. But i will build my second base this turn. I used the calculation sheet to check that i can build an Oynx at the first turn.!!!
Turn 9 Second Starbase
Build my second starbase this turn and have enouth minerals for an Onyx. Found a Bovinoid planet this turn and on the Humanoid base, i can build a Merlin right away. Just need to bring more minerals.
Turn 10 Borg HW destroyed
WOW, lucky me, Borg is dead. Got his starbase killed this turn. Must have been the Lizard. Colonized the last planet of my home cluster this turn. I have to move into open space from now on. I am at last position in the planets count.
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