I haven't played it but I'm guessing that if it was impossible to beat the scenario, it would not have been included. And look at the bright side: people are always complaining about the game being too easy to beat--you don't have that problem.

Have you miniaturized all you can, and gotten up to your max logistics? If you have the ability to cram lots of reduced-size weps on a smaller hull, especially if they are good weps, you can beat a larger ship. Same for fleets, if you can group up more ships than your opponent and have the ability to make smaller components.

Another possible tactic is to hit them with a wave of your best fleets and hope to kill the defenders through attrition.

Never bend over and take it like a man, for two reasons: men don't bend over and take it, and aliens are never gentle. Instead, consider it a challenge and keep working at it until you've won.

It took me a few tries, but the way I beat it was I captured the 3 planets to the west early, but left everything to the north (the Torians took those)

By the time the Dread Lords had killed off all the ships of the Torians and Alterians, and started killing my ships at the 2 original outposts, I had Medium ships with 10 laser grouped in fleets of 4 (so 40 attack) and if they attack first, could usually beat a DL Battleship, but usually lost 1-2 ships in the process.

However, I started sending all my ships and troop transports to the west, to hide them, once I had 4 fleets and 1 fleet of transports, I moved them north while sending other random ships into the middle.

The DL's continued to assault ships in the middle planet sectors while my 4 fleets approached thier world.

in the end 3 of my fleets were lost, but the last one managed to clear the orbit, and the troops moved in to victory.

I lost a heck of a lot of ships, but the key for me I think was the blitzkreig that I managed to pull off by hiding my ships from their battleships

I beat all of the DL missions before I played any other game. I lost once, the game that the Dread Lords first showed up, but I was able to play it over and beat it. I figured out a good strategy against the Dread Lords, and never lost another game. The strategy I used was to expand quickly, and let them take a couple of my planets, then take them back, and continue until I have stolen some powerful weapon techs, which I then used to mop the floor with the Dread Lords. Since the Dread Lords have no logistics capability, you can gang up on them in fleets and defeat them rather easily. Try that out and you may be able to beat them.

I beat all of the DL missions before I played any other game. I lost once, the game that the Dread Lords first showed up, but I was able to play it over and beat it. I figured out a good strategy against the Dread Lords, and never lost another game. The strategy I used was to expand quickly, and let them take a couple of my planets, then take them back, and continue until I have stolen some powerful weapon techs, which I then used to mop the floor with the Dread Lords. Since the Dread Lords have no logistics capability, you can gang up on them in fleets and defeat them rather easily. Try that out and you may be able to beat them.

That's a good strategy, however, it does get interesting when the Dread Lords capture a planet and capture logistics tech with it. Not one of my planets, probably a Torian or Altarian. Then they start coming in fleets of 3 and 4 ships, which makes it a bit harder. Fortunately, I had also obtained Blackhole Eruptors (one of my allies captured the immediately preceding tech, I could trade for it and research the Eruptor). Warp (and later hyperwarp) were also very useful, together with Eyes of the Universe. Comparable firepower, better speed, and nearly perfect information about their movement allowed me to defeat their fleets.

Essential components: an ultra fast (40+ speed) cargo hull with a laser (troop transport / constructor / early starbase killer), and reasonably fast (20+ speed) constructors with eruptors. Not essential, but very nice to have: fast (20+ speed) large hulls with zero point armor and Eruptors or Disruptors touse against fortified starbases, and slow (13 speed) cargo hulls packed with eruptors (over 200 missile attack). With the exception of the ultra fast laser cargo, all were used in fleets of 3 or 4. Knowing the position of their fleets, and having enough speed to attack and get out of their range, allow you to always have the initiative in combat. With enough firepower, the fleet battles usually are over before they can shoot back.

I know my friends i tried being fair anf fighting the DLs but they're so hard to beat i did the mission an easier way. The mission is called "achilles heel" what does it mean? If you fight the dread lords they will kick your ass, but at the start they wont. You start with a sizeable bank account and tech to make the small hulled ship with plasma weapons (or very close on normal mode this is) that i can't remember the name of (one the game provides). Build some colony ships, buy them if you must get in range of the DLs main base, buy a starbase on the planet closest. Research planetary invasion while doing this, make sure to keep your colonies reasonably developed. Get ships out and launch them at the DL base world. When i did this they only had 2 ships orbiting the planet a defender (lazer attack of 30 something) with about 16 hp i think and a scout. I threw the ships at the world destoyed the 2 ships, landed my transports and took over, blitzkreig them! The game gives you the clue and the means to do it (on normal mode anyways you start with a lot of BC, thats the key really take the DLs out before they can do anything). Check out their base world when you capture it, it'l have some awesome buildings most likely). And remember you don't have to beat the DLs you just want that world!

Good luck!