Rated Challenges Thread

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:

quote:

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Originally posted by Slynky:
Master B/Parasite: Check it out and let me know if there are any problems. I checked for ruins and removed all of them even though you didn't list that as a setting (it just seems to me to have too much effect on a rated game). But IF you wanted ruins, I'll be glad to reset the map. Good luck!

The map looks ok to me! Thanks Slynky!
And yes, think play without ruins it's a good choice (although I know you forget to remove one of them! But I'm pretty sure will not hurt the game).

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Well, I hope I got the right map! See, I loaded it in a game and loaded an empire of mine with Ancient ability. Clicked the globe and chose "special"...no planets showed up. Now, I wonder how I could have messed up.

[Slynky]

Well, I guess I need my eyes checked .

Loaded the map again and surely enough, there is one. Perhaps it will be one of those "stupid" ones.

[Alneyan]

2vs2 Challenge: Alneyan/Slynky and Electrum/Parabolize. Year 2407.7 (one year and six months after the Big Badaboom)

As the saying goes, no news is good news, but perhaps it has been a little too quiet for the Last few months. So here comes a very short update, as not much happened lately.

- Following Parabolize's breakthrough in the middle of the map, his fleet encountered a Stellar Destroyer before being able to reach our inhabited systems. At the same time, Electrum broke through in the south, destroying the blockade led by Slynky there.
- Afterwards, my raiders glassed and captured a few planets belonging to Parabolize, while he gathered a second fleet to strike home. It was the calm between the storms in the south, with both Electrum and Slynky summoning their armadas before this clash of the titans and...
- Parabolize managed to reach our inner systems with his second fleet, glassing a few of our planets on his way. His fleet seemed powerful enough, especially while Slynky had his hands full with Electrum in the south. The acute observer will not fail to notice that my own fleet remained as far away from any engagement as possible, in its habitual courageous manner.
- As Parabolize's fleet was losing its momentum (due to a shortage of support ships), Electrum launched his fleet in the south against Slynky's armada, and for once the victory was ours. (Before this battle, we had lost every single major "traditional" engagement with the Wicked Alliance) A few bold raiders tried to backstab Electrum by glassing his homeworld, but alas, this plan was doomed to failure since Electrum had enough ships to ward off this fleet.

Thus is the state of the galaxy at the moment of the writing, gentle reader. The Good Guys hold the western side of the galaxy and the north east, while Electrum and Parabolize still control the south east and a few other systems. Nonetheless, I would believe that Parabolize is facing some rioting, and perhaps Electrum as well. Alas, I cannot unravel more of our schemes, lest enemy operatives should hear about it. Pray forgive me, gentle reader, for this rather uninspired update, but the universe has ground to a standstill for the past few turns.

Lastly, contrary to what was stated in this thread, it seems like you can actually lose more than one ship per turn due to a lack of resources. Unless I have been daydreaming, it happened to Parabolize several times, as his fleet lost a few ships every turn while it wasn't attacked by our ships. But if you don't mind, I am in no hurry to check myself what happens when you are lacking a lot of resources every turn.

[Master Belisarius]

Originally posted by Slynky:
Well, I guess I need my eyes checked .

Loaded the map again and surely enough, there is one. Perhaps it will be one of those "stupid" ones.

Don't worry, even myself, sometimes did mistakes!

[Electrum]

Rated Challenge 2 X 2

The Electrum sees no need to go any further & wishes to Surrender, What do you think Parabolize?

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Electrum:
Rated Challenge 2 X 2

The Electrum sees no need to go any further & wishes to Surrender, What do you think Parabolize?

Never one to talk up one's own game but I don't think there is a need to go on either. To give a bit of info:

Alneyan has around 4.4 million points...hundreds of ships and colonies (he laid 20 more colonies this turn!).

I have 3.4 million points (I won't talk about other stuff since my partner makes me look like a piker).

We have 7 star destroyer ships in place behind our advances in case we should run into trouble and need to try and get rid of a big fleet that manages to get past our defenses.

Our biggest problem is trying to spend our resources...indeed, both of us are building storage facilities and shipyards as fast as we can in order to do something with the resources we are creating! I have 1.4 million minerals in storage and worrying about overflowing it by conVersion every turn. 500,000 rads and 400,000 orgs. I've stopped building monoliths and convertied to building ships...around 70 in the shipyards (by estimate) at the moment.

My best fleet is at 23% and the average ship skill is around 23%...the more ships I kill, the harder it is to overcome that fleet.

You guys played an incredible game!

To be completely honest about it, I think I've learned the secret to winning team games: Pair myself with an awesome team player, ALNEYAN! We played fully as a team, swapping and gifting planets and ships, transferring resources when the other needed it, consulted/coordinated on movement/attacks, and discussed general strategy for the game. From the beginning, we agreed to not fight it out among ourselves but to decide, if we won, who had earned the higher position. And without a doubt, Alneyan earned the right to be ahead of me. He out-expanded me, broke through the defenses, and put me in a position where I needed to sit and defend while he destroyed the enemy economy. ANYONE should be happy to be on his team with those parameters in place.

Parabolize was on the right track! He created an awesome empire but made one terrible mistake...the Mulches were too easy to capture. If that one mistake had not been made, his breaking of our defenses early on would have been more devastating. And, of course, the star destroyer that caught that fleet (though we had secondary "capture" defenses in place).

We both apologize for the delays in game play during that time...Alneyan had schoolwork to complete and we had crucial decisions to make.

With you guys having about one fourth of the galaxy, I would think it's about time to throw in the towel.

I hope this message didn't come off as bragging...certainly, I didn't mean it that way.

[parabolize]

I thought the game was done a long time ago.
I agree my ships were to easy to capture. When we started the game Electrum went south and I north. Northern systems were GREAT but sadly for Electrum the south sucked. I was going to give Electrum some replicant centers but my planets rioted to soon.
This game was a lot of fun.

[Alneyan]

I would think that the Replicant Centers actually killed you Parabolize, as they prevented you from abandoning your planets. I can tell you that the north was being heavily resettled, and your planets did help my Empire. Another nice benefit is the increase in happiness when you capture an enemy planet, and so all my colonies were jubilant, save for the ones in the Last system I captured. (Bisset if memory serves) And obviously, your Atmosphere Convertors and breathers were put to good use afterwards.

And don't overlook another fact Slynky: I will use the Ship Training facilities in the turns to come! When I am actually bothering to use ship training, it means I am almost confident in my ability to send my own fleets against an enemy fleet of more than five warships. With your advice concerning such battles, it will be much less likely for me to figure out of losing half my ships as well. (I am very, very skilled when it comes to losing battles that should be a walk in the park)

A Last factor helping my Empire was my high construction bonuses (+140% or so), which allowed me to produce ships rather quickly (granted, the said ships weren't among the best, but strength lies in numbers). I only realized a few turns ago that I could build colony ships in one turn (and a retrofit) though... Truly, I should have noticed this ability at the beginning of the game, since being able to build twice as many colony ships is a huge advantage. *Slaps self*

As for the delays, it was indeed due to our talking (along with a few computer problems), with for example the matter of our first Stellar Destroyer in the south. We discussed a few days if we should send it to Velocitas to try to ambush Parabolize's fleet, or if we should remain in the belt waiting for the said fleet to come. Both options spelt disaster, but in one case it was harsh news for Parabolize, while in the other it would have allowed him to reach our core systems without too much hassle.

When all is said and done, it was quite a fun game for my first full-tech challenge. But I would believe it isn't so different from a more regular game, even if it is quicker-paced. Sadly, I couldn't play with my Light Cruisers this time, and how hard it was for me not to build Research Centers everywhere on my colonies.

[Slynky]

Since Electrum pulled out of the PBW game, I'm assuming you guys aren't going to wait around to see who is the "Last man standing" (or more appropriately, "the first man out"). Should I then assume the following finish:

Alneyan - 1st
Slynky - 2nd
Electrum - 3rd
Parabolize - 4th

? ?

[Electrum]

Sounds fine to me.

My stratagy backfired. I had Parabolize transfer his rioting colonies to me so I could pacify them. It put me in the line of attacks & caused my planets to riot too, crippling production.
Oh well