Game Parameters: Huge, Uncommon stars, tight clusters, common planets, abundant habitable planets. Normal rules, normal tech rate.
Playing as the Yor, default settings
Difficulty: Crippling, 9 opponents
I used ctrl-N a few times to restart the game until I found a configuration that was suitably *disadvantageous*: Isolated in a cluster of three stars.
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Today we have tested the so-called 'hyperdrive' designs the humans have transmitted to us. The system is... adequate, though the Collective has already fashioned several improvements. It is fitting that the Humans should clear the way for the elimination of all organic life...
We have only begun establishing our orbital-manufacturing industry when our survey vessel contacts reports. For several sectors around Iconia, only the Zeus system can support life. Zeus III is a miserable ball, while Zeus IV is teeming with life, half again as welcoming as Iconia.
To the galactic north, the Drengin, Altarians and Drath vie for a huge cluster of stars, dozens of worlds. To the east, the Arceans, Thalans and upstart humans race to capture their share of their own super-cluster, even larger than the first. The Torians and our hated progenitors occupy their own small clusters, still more bountiful than isolated Iconia....
This cannot be. We cannot allow the organics to spread across the galaxy while we remain trapped. The Collective would be swept aside, a mere footnote in the war between titans.
To the West, ah, another cluster of just three stars. The Korx... with their lust for commerce.
We contact the Korx, expressing our desire for trade and peaceful coexistance. The humans have opened up a new era, we have given up our genocidal outlook. Yes. We explore their systems in the name of future commerce, and feverishly research weapons and invasion systems. A great manufacturing capital is constructed on the central continent. The invasion fleet is almost ready, concealed in freighter hulls.
The Korx deploy a handle of small armed craft above their worlds. 'Purely for protection against pirates', they say. 'Ah, armed ships', we reply, 'we hadn't thought of that'.
The Fleet is launched across the vast gulf of space. Three entire sectors. It will take some time. While our legions are in transit, we hone our ground combat techniques. Much progress is made. The Korx declare that they have discovered a much improved translator. We congradulate them on their keen business sense and inform them that our new trading vessels should arrive in their systems any day now. Still no contact with any of the other disgusting organics.
The timing is perfect, of course. Squadrons of missile-armed craft scour the skies of three of their worlds and the dropships descend with metronome precision. Within a month, the Korx have been eradicated, and we have added five new worlds to our Collective, for a total of nine. The scars of battle have barely faded when we make contact with the Altarians.
"Wasn't the Korx homeworld in this general area?"
"We have not seen them. Perhaps they moved on to a better place?"
"A likely story. We know your nature, Yor."
"You wound us. The humans have opened up the galaxy, and opened our eyes. We have abandoned our old, irrational hatred, and now turn our energies to peaceful arts... like these diplomatic translators."
"Hmm. Perhaps you have changed. Well, a tidy empire you've got here, if rather tiny in comparison to our domain."
"I am optimistic that we might happen across other empty worlds, in the future."
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Wow. I can see this is going to take a little while to describe the whole game. This was the first time I've ever executed a rush in GC2 and it worked really well. It's amazing how quickly you can get planetary invasion and some reasonable fighting ships if you focus on it. Ten transports and 6 small craft were enough to take all five Korx worlds.
