How not to play Galactic Civilizations

[Bonegavel]

I have played over a dozen games so far and I must say that I am not very good. I am, however, continuing to have a good time with the game.

I will apologise up front for my lack of exciting prose, but I will try and capture the experience of my latest game that is in progress.

Initial settings: Large galaxy, tight clusters, abundant habitable planets. Most Sub-Normal intelligence (beginner). I selected the federalists as my party and I believe my attribute modifiers are the defaults.

It has come down to me and the Drengin's. I was lucky and started near a bunch of nice yellow stars that were within reach of my Colony Ships. I quickly snatched about 8 systems, many with 2 or 3 habitable planets. Nice.

For the first time I heavily pursued the technological deadly arts and always picked the PURE GOOD choices when prompted. The combination has helped. First, the Altarans aren't attacking me (they are Pure Good, just as I am) and my early military might kept every other race at bay until the Drengins gobbled up half the map. They swallowed one star system after another, all the while asking me for tribute, which I always paid, so they wouldn't crush me. I kept tabs on their military power with the thought that once I could build Battleships, I would stop giving into their demands and prepare for the fight that was sure to come.

At this point in the game, I occupied the majority of the right half of the map and the Drengins the left. We were separated by an almost straight line down the middle. The Arceans had a small enclave in the lower right and what was left of the Drengin-harrassed Altarans was in the upper right. The Yor and the Torians shared space in the upper left. The Altarans and I were on friendly terms while the rest were Cool to Hostile.

In preparation for the inevitable battle with the Evil Drengins, I piled up 4 heavily defended starbases along our border. My aim there was to push my influence into his sectors with the a hope of turning any ailing systems to my control. While I was able to gather influence in some Drengin sectors, the bases failed to help turn any star systems my way.

I was almost done building my first Battleship when the Drengin leader appeared on my screen and for the last time he asked me for money. About 2000+ BCs. I rejected their offer and shifted my entire Industrial might to producing Battleships.

The battle began with the Drengins destroying my trade routes. Smart. They then starting hurling Dreadnaughts at my frontline starbases and slowly but surely took them out. The bases took a lot of Dreadnaughts with them, but in a few dozen turns, I had lost all 4. The time and the resources those starbases represented is huge, and if I had to do it over again, I don't think I would have put them so far on the edge of my empire. In addition, I think I should have waited and continued paying off the Drengin Empire until I was more prepared (only problem being that they grew more and more powerful as well).

As it stands now, I have about 10 Battleships, 5 starbases and a bunch of Corvettes at my disposal. The Drengins have the edge in almost every category (pop, military, influence, merchantile), but my resolve is strong and I'm hoping to drag this out long enough for a cease fire (sound familiar?).

I am also counting on the Arceans and the Altarans to fold and come under my power. That would help a bit. I also am funding the Yor and Torians with ships and money in the hopes that they will help spread the Drengins thin. At one point I was spending 150 BCs per month to destablise the Drengins, but I don't know how much that helped.

Until next time...