by Tommy Lindqvist
Hear all!
After almost a year and 91 turns, the almighty Mandrake of Wizards (Tommy Lindqvist) has crushed all their opponents in GalaxyNG game Delta. I hope everyone had as much fun playing as I had contemplating how rulers fell and arose back.
GLOBAL Messages
- -message starts-
The gnarled old Wizard stands alone in the Grand Tower of Mages in Xanadu, Capital of Wizards. Looking out at the sky, where he now has established his rule on all of the lights, he cannot help but remember how it started.
It was in February 1998 that this realm came into being. A large realm it was, with 42 more mortals having expressed their interest in ruling this part of the universe.
This was a rich region with plenty of systems for everybody. There were 860 systems to vie for in the eternal struggle. By the seventh cycle however, it was clear something was very wrong in this realm. We had lost 19 players in some unknown disaster. There was some discussion if we should pray for the divine powers for a smaller realm to contend in, but no consensus could be reached, and the struggle would soon commence.
Also this was the time when I noted my first foe. One nation had sent incoming probes to almost all my systems in an effort to see what I was doing, or who I was. I blindly declared war upon him, before his probes landed. A cycle later, the probes of Scree_Baz tried to enter orbit, and was promptly confiscated. Now knowing where my target lived, I started to build my first warfleet.
At about cycle 13, fighting began to start when HeavenlyWarriors, Overlords and Daemons had some fun. Daemons apparently decided that their home was better, because they where soon out of it. The first casualty to war.
At cycle 20 my preparations for war where almost finished. Due to distances involved, it had taken a long while before I thought that I could afford to build an attack fleet.
There where still plenty of empty systems, so fighting was practically nonexistent. This is where the spells that helped me maintain my presence in this realm started to wobble. I barely maintained enough power to not get booted out of the realm by the divine powers. However I rallied, and at cycle 27 I struck at the poorly prepared Scree_Baz. There where also warfare in other parts of the realms. Bikers, Paraclete and Nation_Sixty was eaten by HeavenlyWarriors/Xenox and x in different parts of the realms. After two cycles Scree_Baz power to oppose is crushed. A small Warlock fleet shows up, but lacking support from Scree_Baz forces, they would rather make peace with me.
At cycle 30 I started to build the fleet that would gain me the south-western corner pocket from Squats. However, the very next cycle, I got probed again, this time by another neighbour, Syndicate_Omega. This neighbour had just finished of the x nation, and I was afraid he was looking to secure his behind by eliminating me.
Thus at cycle 34, ships of war were once more launched. This was another player who had neglected his planetary defenses. Alpha-strike got him down by 25% of his available industrial capacity. In another corner of the realms, Diablo was happily eating away at former big nation x. Syndicate Omega did put up a good fight however, in an unanticipated move, he gathered every ship he had to his homelworld, annihilating my attacking fleet. In response, raiders sent to his outlying worlds, caused much havoc among the colonies now depleted of garrisons. While Syndicate Omega manages to defend his homeworld one more time, Sandokans and Squats squabble over rights to a previously empty system.
I get probed for the third time. This time by HeavenlyWarriors. Thus getting in my little black book, I decide to see what I can do about getting Sandokans cooperation. At this time, there are three clear leaders in the realms, Wizards, Sandokans and HeavenlyWarriors. Each of these nations has at least a 30 % industrial advantage over any other nation. Wizards owned the south-western portion of the realms, Sandokans was stationed in the south middle, and Heavenly_Warriors in the SouthEastern parts. There being some 250 LY distance between Wizards and HeavenlyWarriors, I will bide my time.
Somehow, something causes xenox and Overlord to be removed from this realm. Warlocks are busy eating away at Delirium. Wizards grab the remaining systems from Syndicate_Omega. Then Sandokans does something to me inexplicable. During negotiations, he grabs a few of my systems that I had grabbed from Syndicate_Omega. He also reveals knowledge to me that could only have come from the probing of my worlds by HeavenlyWarriors. Realizing the Sandokans and HeavenlyWarriors are allies, I am tempted to take the easy way out and ally myself with them just to get an easy victory. However, I decide to slug it out in a gigantic one on two battle, just for the principle of it. Because of the difficulties involved in battling one against two, I prepare for a long time. I start out by going to war against Squats for the corner pocket. Angels of Death meanwhile is doing some serious damage to Diablo, which is curious given Diablos huge advantage in tech. The Wizards suddenly becomes the new techleaders when Jade_Falcon is booted from the realms by divine intervention.
At cycle 44 the bullseye on my forhead grows a bit as my raiders practically eat Squats in a single turn. He lost 80 % of his industry to small raiders. I now start to build my strike forces that are customized for attacking Sandokans, while waiting for a good opportunity to strike. At this time, I had an effective industry of 34000, Sandokans and Heavenly Warriors each had 30000. I had hopes for an alphastrike that was so devastating so that Sandokans would stop playing.
For four turns, the tension rises, as I see that both Sandokans and HeavenlyWarriors are building their forces. Then at cycle 48, Sandokans strike at Khan. In a matter of hours, communications is established with Khan for information regarding ship designs and possible targets.
At cycle 49, Wizards raiders strike, and eliminates 3200 industry for Sandokans while Wizards gain much needed information. Next turn, when scouting info has been looked upon, fully 11000 industry is destroyed by the Wizards raiders. However, Sandokans fleets are pretty much undamaged, and they are starting to get in the range of Wizards systems, as they are untangling themselves from Khan space. HeavenlyWarriors as well as Sandokans is raising the hue and cry for a dogpile upon Wizards, seeing how destructive his raids have been. Wizards meanwhile points out that Sandokans / HeavenlyWarriors together still has more industry than Wizards. Furious diplomacy is flying as both sides try to convince Khan in particular to join the fray.
At cycle 52, Sandokans is down to 13000 industry, and HeavenlyWarriors is starting to show their forces. Surprisingly Angels has sent a large contingent of flak to support them all the way from the northeastern corner. PaxImperia, Elementals, Dogs, Warlocks and Khan has decided that Wizards is probaly correct in telling them that in a war between equals, both equals is likely to be hurt. Thus there is a war going on for the next 10 turns, between forces from HeavenlyWarriors, Sandokans and Wizards. Angels never sent any reinforcements to their initial detachment. The main thing happening here, is that WIzards northern flank, previously guarded by Warlocks, became open, by Warlock being removed by divine forces.
For some reason though, Wizards just kept growing. At cycle 60, a flanking force encountered the lightly defended northern systems of HeavenlyWarriors, and a devastating blow was dealt. This caused Khan to openly support The Warrios alliance with forces, and Wizards had yet another foe to contend with. Luckily for Wizards, Khan hadn't learned from the other players, and in the initial scouting by armed scouts, he lost half of his systems. ( At turn 60 to have completely undefended systems is quite surprising. )
At turn 65, The war has become one of one against four, as PaxImperia joined forces with Warriors. This was also one of the few times, Wizards net industry didn't gain net worth. Angels support the war full time now, and it is once again big warefare. The only neutrals now, are Dogs and Elementals. Elementals are however a secret ally of Wizards, but for some reasons he felt he didn't have time to go to war here.
At cycle 71, Elementals also disappear by divine intervention, leaving only three players against and one player neutral. The game is practically over, and the biggest danger for Wizards is that he is removed due to divine intervention, as he seems to like missing turns.
And finally at cycle 90, Wizards remove the last systems owned by Dogs and Angels, reaching the impressive Effective Industry of 313,600. ( Yes, there should be two zeroes. ) This industry is distributed upon his 850 systems.
For those who I battled, my thanks. It is rare to have games where there was this much warfare going on. Hope to meet you in other games later.
Regards,
Mandrake of Wizards
Ps, Also, my thanks to the deity, Ragnar for hosting this large game, and making it survive even a transfer to another host.
- -message ends-
