Another OCC win - as Pirates

[Googlie]

Just finished a most satisfying game at the OCC level, transcended in 2480.

Pirates are almost as good a faction as the Gaians to play OCC - sea energy crawlers deliver awesome results (I actually had the tech lead for much of the 2300's, before the heavier population growth of the Data Angels and the Consciousness overtook me)

Key was in staying sweet with all factions - never fired a gun in anger except against MWs (other factions I selected, in addition to the two above, were Morgan, PKs, Cult and University). Humungus map, mainly water, transcend level.

Pod popping (primarily ocean) delivered, on average, 40% mindworms, 25% cash, and, earlier, about 10% techs and 25% completed builds, with the techs being AA's in the later game. I got such a high proportion of cash and builds 'cos I was popping with an 8-res armored probe foil with a 50% psi defence enhancement.

Zipped .sav available if anyone is interested .

Googlie

[mark13]

Many congrats - a formidable challenge, and one I might be tempted to try....could I ask what difficulty level you were playing on?

I guess tidal harnesses would bring in awesome results, although I would be a little worried about my production capacity - although I guess it becomes a non-issue after AdvEcoEng, and the amount of cash you are bringing in would allow you to rush-build in times of need....

Could you send a savegame to anne.harrison1@ntlworld.com please? I would be interested to see the map, and how far away enemy factions were. But again, congratulations on the victory!

[Googlie]

mark13

I was playing transcend level, and the map was 420 x 360. Closest faction (Aki Zeta) became my pactmate and benefactor - I slipped her credits from time to time and she always gave me a tech when I begged.

Datajack got the Voice first, and I was sitting in the weeds with about ten AA's, and cashed in a planetbuster and a horde of sea supply crawlers to seed the SP before the AA cash-in.

.sav on its way.

G.

[Provost Harrison]

Intriguing; I would like to see how you managed this!

[mark13]

My god, 420x360!!!!!!!!
I'll have to have a look at this....

[mark13]

OK - a few notes - My God, there's enough water on this planet! I can't help but notice that labs is on 0% - presumably the idea was to let someone else build the Voice and jump in with the Ascent - the AI really isn't very good at foiling this.....

Interesting, you chose not to raise the sea level to accomodate the extra mineral you get from shelf squares. Why is this? Maybe making sure none of them become land squares, I would have thought....

Only 3 SPs, other than the Ascent, interesting....I suppose they are all logical though, the ME is a must-have in an OCC.....

Planet Cult: Treaty +11 (they get +1) - LOL, that's called exploitation....

How did you manage to acquire so many friends? Was it just gifts, or some other tactic?

Certainly a commendable achievement, in any case, I'll have to try this one..... :evil grin:

[Googlie]

I was the swing vote three times on a solar shade, and each time I voted Nay - I figured I was better off than the others 'cos of my seabase, and the island I was working for an energy park I was terrforming up to get the increased energy value.

You are right - after my last tech (every 12 turns) I went max energy/psych (also rooked my two pactmates for loans in 2477 when it was apparent that Datajack would be getting the Voice built.

As a faction I was not big enough to be threatening, and not small enough (like the Cult) to be victimized. I pacted at one time or another with everyone else except Roze, and by going Cybernetic I assured that Aki Zeta would be slobbering all over me, but interestingly Roze also commended my SE status.

I did gift whenever asked - but mainly I traded for tech, and gifted - or loaned - cash when asked. My army (navy?) of four IoD's and 2 foil probes unpodded oodles of cash in the middle game.

Oh, and I did steal a coupole of techs from Roze and Zak and framed Morgan and Lal respectively - that kept them warring with each other. Roze and Aki naturally (as #1 and #2) were almost entirely in a state of war from 2350 onwards.

I didn't really see the need to go for any SPs other than the 3 I got - it would have tied up my meager minerals too much. Maybe the UT would have been useful, but I would then have been tempted to cash in my AAs for tech advances, and they were really what won the game for me.

All told, it was a fun game.

(I just gave up on another, as a landlocked Domai - was at war with everyone, and didn't feel like continuing when I had four MW's attack my base simultaneously - was reduced to 1 defender, with Yang and Miriam on the doorstep.)

I wonder how the Usurpers would do as a OCC? ................

Googlie


[This message has been edited by Googlie (edited October 28, 2000).]

[Googlie]

Provost:

Don't know if you were wanting a copy of the saved game, but I can't send it to the e-mail addy on your profile - I'm getting an "unsendable to that address" type message.

Drop me an e-mail if you'd like a .sav

Googlie

[mark13]

Sorry to jump in like this, but I sent him a copy....

The Usurpers as an OCC, interesting - of course, free Recycling Tanks would be a massive advantage, as would starting with a size 3 base (extra colony pod). Don't know though - might be worth a go.....

[DaRanger]

Stupid newbie question here :-)!

What is OCC?

Can I also get a copy of the .sav Goolie?

It would be most appreciated!

Thanks



------------------
DaRanger,
Sole Proprietor
DaRangers Deep Space
Spice and Fungus Grove

[mark13]

How about.....

An OCC as the bible-bashing Believers?

Now that would be hard. Normal rules apply - captured bases must be disbanded within size*2 turns, unlimited offensive units, must win by transcendence. Just to start with, anyway.....

So, how about it?

Oh yeah, if you want to make it harder, how about tech stag? (ouch!) And double blind? (ouch! ouch!) We'll start with the original challenge first, though....

[Googlie]

Marc13:

I tried that about five times - gave rise to my Sven short story in the fiction forum.

Am doing quite well as the Usurpers in an OCC (Didn;t include the Caretakers, just to see if it was workable at first - didn't matter a hoot) All the human factions as sonn as they meet me declare vendetta, and I am getting probed to death.

Great game

Googlie

[mark13]

I thought the Usurpers would be easy, to be honest, but apparently not so. Sounds like an interesting game, actually....

It seems that, as I am somewhat of a latecomer to the civ-gaming scene, everything has already been done. Damn, I wish I could have been here a year ago! I'm going to give the OCC-Believers a go, anyway, just to see how it feels - I can imagine it would be murderous!

[Googlie]

M13:

Good luck, and keep us posted on the progress (hint - forget about doing your own research - probe to death)

G.

[mark13]

The first go was an absolute disaster. I got to 2180, and realised it was time to quit when Zakharov cam landing with his 6-1-2s against my 1-2-1 defenders. I think I'm going to lower the bar a little here - I'm going to turn blind research off. I would be interested to hear from anyone else who is trying this particular challenge, as I am currently somewhat at a loss.