| Re: Fledging Admirals I: Consulari perspective |
Mon, 09 July 2007 07:41   |
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 horza |
 | Civilian |
Messages: 1
Registered: January 2007 | |
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History is more interesting when writen by the losers...
The Ousters started off well, or so I thought. The first ~12 turns had me apparently doing well economically and technically. Lack of experience meant I didn't spot the neighbouring -f CA for what it was, and without a WM next door I thought I had the time to develop my economy further.
My two hideous strategic errors:
1) Thinking noone would form a solid alliance until PPS made everyone's position clear. From turns 16-22 I did little or no diplomacy, waiting for the picture to become clear.
2) Focussing on En and Con tech to accelerate my economy, while my Weap tech languished - when Hornet jumped me I didn't even have Weap10. I had to conceal this incompetence from my otherwise sympathetic neighbours in order to avoid being seen as another Mikotaj.
Altruist had warned me of the dangers of AR, and specifically suggested an aggressive stance, however I was unable to throw off the mindset that I just needed to sit still and look friendly in order to gain my late-game advantages. Having a small baby in the house tended to excarbate this, as well as affecting my attention to detail fairly badly.
The story from the Ouster point of view:
Having "woken up" in the early twenties, discussions with Culture/Consulari/Pingguo and ominous silence from Hornet gave me 1-2 turns notice I was about to be attacked. This could have been enough but I underestimated Hornet's level of planning - there were armed scouts throughout my empire, and I lost a lot of weak docks and freight unnecessarily. If my Weap tech had been better I could still have survived - oh mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
The following turns were enjoyable in a hanging-on-by-the-fingernails way. A full assault from Hornet would have knocked me out, however he appeared not to realise how weak I was, and took his time consolidating his early gains and not risking his early fleet on what might have appeared to be risky attacks. This was a critical mistake for him I think - as a result I had the time to get to Weap 12, and receive Prop6 in trade from the Pingguo. Having Jihads simultaneuously made my main bases capable of taking on the existing Hornet fleet solo, and gave me credibility/baragaining power with the Consulari/Culture who became my main trading partners. I talked up Hornet as a Galactic threat, while believing that C/C were actually already winners-in-waiting. The Hornet assault destroyed my chances of victory, and my only satisfaction would be in ruining their own - there was a theoretical possibility that if they knocked me out quickly they could eliminate Pingguo too, and have the space to expand and take on C/C.
I finally lost my HW when Hornets' excellent CC design made its apearance in significant numbers. After this I committed myself as a client state to the C/C alliance, and received sufficient Weap tech from them to bloody Hornets nose somewhat. C/C provided some stars for expansion and I was able to offer some En tech early and mins late as return on their investment.
Most of the remaining turns I spent in curiousity at the diplomatic situation - didn't everyone see how C/C were clearly on course for victory? I fully expected a joint Trix/Hornet/Ping assault that would have been very interesting for me to be a part of as a defender, and was disappointed when it never happened.
I'd definitely call this a diploamtic victory for C/C - they avoided direct participation in wars at the critical juncture, backed the right sides to ensure effective stalemate, and somehow avoided a dog-pile assault when they were clearly winning. Kudos to them.
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