MoOving In: A Detailed Preview of Master of Orion III PART 5: NOT ALL QUIET ON THE GALACTIC FRONT (Page 2)
By Daniel Quick | Apolyton CS Co-Owner/Administrator
Instead, to my amazement and horror, my scout takes its time trying to transverse the entrance to the Taben system. Given that avoiding the skirmish in the first place was not an option and not knowing the ship configuration of my rival, I felt the best recourse was to gather speed in taking the most direct route out of the hostile territory. Precious seconds had been lost by thanks to the captain's hesitation and my not taking command of the scout myself. “Retreat, retreat!” I screamed at my monitor as if the game could understand my order even if it could hear me.
I then realized that in my haste I had told my scout to 'Blockade Planet' as its 'Combat Action' on the previous screen. If I had recalled this, I would have been pressing the 'General Retreat' button like mad from the outset. My scout had just gotten itself turned around when a few seconds later, the enemy appeared out of the shadows firing once and disappearing into the darkness once again. My scout exploded into oblivion. They didn't even fight, but then again they didn't even have a chance. There were no survivors.
As I attempted to impart in Part 4, I pursued a primarily peaceful co-existence with my galactic neighbours that had more or less positive outcomes on the whole. The above serves as the most devastating example of the less-than-positive consequences stemming from my decision to employ as a minimal number of minimally armed ships as possible. In what may have been nothing more than a coincidental event, the turn following the Apolytonian defeat at Taben several Apolyton colonies were reported as having degenerated to unstable status following rampant rioting. The citizens were demanding more protection for themselves at home and their loved ones abroad. It wasn't enough of a ruckus to cause a total shutdown of these communities, but it was enough to make the lead story in my 'SitRep' ('Situation Report'; for more on this, see Parts 3 and 4). I felt like joining their protests and feeling sorry for myself in the process. But with great power comes… well, you (oughta) know.
MANAGING FOREIGN RELATIONSHIPS IS A FULL-TIME JOB
If you are acquainted with the layout and concept behind the 'Foreign Advisor' in Civilization III, what is offered in MoO3's 'Foreign Matrix' should be familiar to you already. Your race's representative in the Orion Senate and other diplomatic forums appears in the center of the screen. Other races whom you have made contact with, either through Orion Senate channels and/or in your own travels, appear around you. If you see the first corresponding image in the screenshot gallery, you will see my 'Foreign Matrix' at the outset of my game. The New Orions, Trilarians, Sakkra and Eoladi are all present as embodied by their own envoys. In another screenshot from Turn 37, you will see an additional face present. It is Zeerac, representative of the Tachidi. Unfortunately, little becomes of the contact once it is made.
“… consult the Foreign Matrix to find out who your enem[ies] might be.” ( MoO3 Manual | Page 101 )
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