I’ve been playing an interesting BOFT game and figured I would share it with y’all. To help out I uploaded three screen shots onto a free server for your benefit. Feel free to question, critique, banter. By turn 94 I thought this could turn out to be an amazing game if the Romulans have created a large empire. Now, by turn 139, I realize they haven't moved as quickly as hoped for. This should still be a very good game but the outcome now seems inevitable for a Federation victory. Oh, well. Must now enjoy the journey. (Perhaps I never should have ventured past Trill and allowed the Rommies to have the entire half of the screen. I shall have to keep that saved game and maybe test that later).

Details:
Major Race: Federation
Minor Races: Many
Difficutly: Impossible (“a little bit harder� would have been more appropriate)
Random Events: Off (by mistake)
Galaxy Shape: Irregular
Galaxy Size: Large.

I’m using the latest patch to play on XP. I’m also using Dafedz’s ultimate mod 2.0.0 patch 1 (so I have Connies and other goodies). I’ve increased the Ferengi ship cost and maintenance for each of there ships by a factor of 4 (I’m tired of beating off waves after waves of Ferengi instead of Romulans or Klingons). Also, I’m playing with

1. IN THE BEGINNING … turn 94 (sorry but turn 94 is the earliest saved game I still had saved.
http://www.geocities.com/northtexas95/94.bmp

Feds: I began near the upper right hand corner. As usual, early on I bypass the nearby systems and send my scouts and colony ships as far as possible to find larger systems and claim them before others do. I quickly make contact with Talar, Tama, and the Vulcans (the later two quickly joining the Federation).

The first major empire I run into are the Cardassians at Ohnlaka. I just barely beat the Cardies to it which is vital. In my opinion the best way to have good relations with another major empire is to have plenty of space between you and them. If the Cardies had taken Ohnlaka it would have been the source of constant friction between them and the Federation. Instead, after initially upsetting them, the Cardies quickly became friends and then Allies. I know they are in a major battle with someone and I think that someone is in the lower right hand corner. Fortunately, I’ve got empty space between whoever they are and me with the Vulcans able to pump out ships right there.

I didn’t run into the Ferengi until after the Cardies. (I had been committing my ships to the south since there was little to the north. Again, there are two full sectors between the Feds and the Ferengi. Their lack of ships is costing them greatly. That one planet just outside of their space at the top of the screen has a max pop of about 400 … very tempting if I want to upset them.

At this point I’ve just flexed my financial muscles and brought Talar and Trill into the Federations. They are both very large systems with lots of manufacturing.

My fleet consists of Connies and I just pumped out my first Galaxy.

I also know there at least one, maybe two empires on the far side of the galaxy. Hopefully one of them will be strong enough to challenge my fleets.

2. EXPANSION – turn 115
http://www.geocities.com/northtexas95/115.bmp
I find out the Klingons are in the lower right hand corner. They and the Cardies are locked in mortal combat. Neither side seems able to gain an advantage. Cardies are still my allies, Klingons are too busy fighting Cardies to fight me. I can get a treaty with them anytime.

After gaining Trill I had a decision. I didn’t know if I wanted to really stretch out the Feds farther into unknown space. I’d rather wait as long as possible to meet the Rommies. But as usually I can’t help myself and I pushed on.

I built an outpost far from Trill (Deep Space 4) but have still yet to discover the Rommies. Hopefully they are busy building a huge empire to challenge me. I have discovered the Edo, Malcor, and T’Lani. I immediately start pumping credits to win them to my side. I also begin sending transports and colony ships to the west of Ferengi space to capture those systems. I’m still not sure where I’ll run into Rommies so I might regret this move. We’ll see.

I sent a scout around Cardi space and contacted Betazed and Bajor. I made no push to have either join the Fed. I don’t want to tick off the Cardi’s just yet since I haven’t yet built up defenses if I did. Also, Bajor is in the middle of the Cardi-Klingon War and I don’t want to get involved in that messy situation just yet.

Ferengi continues to be impotent. I have a Galaxy and 6 Trill ships at the outpost there and it is more than enough. They are completely furious with me but they just won’t declare war (drat). They are merely a pest.

3. AND NOW …turn 139
http://www.geocities.com/northtexas95/139.bmp
I contacted the Rommies at T’Lani. The Rommies seem to be concentrated in the lower left hand corner. I send all the Galaxies and Connies in that region T’Lani. To the north I send waves of colony ships. With Rubicon, and T’Lani already in the Federation, and with me pumping many credits to Villa, Tellar, and Malcor to win them over, I should have enough manufacturing to build a fleet and have that region eventually able to defend itself. I shall continue moving towards the northwest to capture all the systems there in and block the Rommies into the lower left hand corner.

Cardi-Klingon War continues to be a bloody stalemate. Each side wants me to help them attack the other. For now I resist both as I wait to upgrade my fleets.

Ferengi continues to be impotent.

My fleet mainly consists of Connies and Galaxy’s. I’ll be able to build Akira’s shortly but for now I’m using Vulcan to pump out Galaxy’s to fortify my Cardi-Klingon borders. (If those two would unite and attack me together they would hurt me right now).

My current fleet makeup*:

Connies: 8
Galaxy: 7
Scouts: 5
Colony: 10
Troop Transports: 4
T’Lani Cruisers: 2
Talarian Warships: 3
Trill Warships: 6
Vulcan Ships: 2

(* note: I have been in one minor battle with no losses for the entire game)

How have I gotten by so far with only 15 capital ships built? Well, again, the Cardi-Klingon War allowed me to keep minimal defenses on those borders. The impotency of the Ferengi achieves the same. I've just met the Rommies.

4. FUTURE MOVES
The map is playing out well for the Feds. I’ve only needed one Starbase to anchor my lines against the Klingons and the Cardies. I’m currently building one at T’Lani and plan to build at Tellar and maybe one on the system four sectors to the west to Tellar. I could build one or two between the Rommies and the Cardies but there is so much empty space. That area will be best patrolled by scouts.

Vulcan will continue to pump out Galaxies to fortify my Cardi-Klingon border while my western systems will provide capital ships for the Rommie border. Once I reach a few more tech levels and newer systems build up their Universities, I'll switch systems such as Trill and Talar from purely University to pure ship building (right now those manufacturing plants are empty as eveyone studies up).

The goal is to colonize every system, bring into the Federation every race which can be easily defended and deny those resources to our enemies. Then modernize the fleet with the latest ships for the defense of the Federaton.

***********
CLASSIFIED: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
Also, part of our future plans will be to cause the Ferengi, Cardies, and/or Klingons to declare war on us. This will allow our fleets to destroy theirs and allow us to systematically take their systems. For the immediate futre we will attempt to pacify the Rommies and keep them at bay until which time our fleets can concentrate on them. If they should prove to be unrestrainable then we will not hesitate to bring our fleets to bare on them before the other major races.

Not bad!

I played teh Federation only a few times, but your movement leaves me a bit worried. The Cardi's and Klingons, while now at war can turn on a dime and become allies then do a power thrust right into your central core. Romulans should sit back and observe your movments, most likly building the Tal then sending them in to capture ships and or distroy power supplies.

I do not play with any mods or upgrades. Cannot figure out what I would want to change other then the Ferengi ship building.

Interesting game in play though. Would be courious to see the nxt 100 moves.

Your exactly right about the Cardi's and Klingons turning on a dime. In fact, this is the longest I've gone with two empires fighting each other and not turning on me. My favor among the Cardi's has fallen to the "icy" level, hence my starting to build up my fleet. Fortuantely, Vulcan can pump out a Galaxy every 3 turns while Trill and Talar could do the same if needed. War will eventually come with those two.

I'll post an update when I'm able to continue the game.

really cool story, i love it when people post these, even better with map screeniees.

I'm stuck in one almost like that. Started at level 1 impossable mode, random off, no races.

I'm stuck in a type of draw (about to be broken) Ferengi and Klingon are under alliance Cardi's wiped out by Feregni. Feds and Roms are in alliance. I'm romulan. So odd, though rather like being in a stale mate. looking to next 15 turns to show something. I'm at war with Both Feregni and Klingon. Feds are at War with Ferengi only Contstruction set at 93 %, yet My higest module rating is only just now reaching 6. While all the others are by ship and starbase design close to 8's or 9's. Best I can get for ships is a crusier and lower. Currently at turn 356 and finally had my first run in with Ferengi. they whopped my butt!!!! 366 ships against 29. I currently own 13 systems, Ferengi with 10 Klingons 13, and Feds 11.

Sucked my credits dry building ships for Defence only right now. trying to build up again at this moment.

Gonna be a fun game!

In case anyone is wondering what happened to this game here's what did: I conquered the Frengi 5 planets (they really didn't mind at all) and this I took the entire NW corner of the map. There I found mostly uninhabited systems but a few nice minors who were able to pump out ships.

Meanwhile, the Klingons moved west and started wiping the Cardies off the map. After a while it was just the Feds with the entire upper half of the map, the Romulas in the SW corner and the Klingons in the SE and S Central regions. By this time I was pumping out Sovereigns and Promethius'. At this point I stopped playing as it was going to simply be a mop up operation.

So closes the chapter on this game. Time for another.

Oh you killed the game early??? bummer...
I would have expected a few more nice battles to hear about.

You must be modded yes?

amen, i quite like hearing detailed stories of strategies and battles
woooooo first post

I actually have the game saved. I could go back and finish it.

Ah yes please do.... Great story going on there..

yes do it, i particulary liked the screen-shots too,