I've been working on the death fleet all the live long day.

22 Jun 06

It's good to have money again. That multiplanet expansion really pinched the pocketbook. Things are looking up now. I haven't colonized too many more planets, but costs are down and income is up. It's about time to teach the Liir a lesson.

It seems the Liir are learning how to fight the Hive. After a few more minor skirmishes where a couple Liir combat destroyers ran into overwhelming force, suddenly multiple fleets started to appear on my scopes at the same time. Instead of two to three ships, these fleets consisted of 10-12 destroyers ready to make assaults on my gate ships and planets. That required a scramble.

Coming out of the financial hole meant that research was back on track. I had just upgraded designs to green lasers and faster engines. It looks like they'd get an early combat test. With the gates it didn't make any difference that my command and control ships were scattered through the empire. They were gathered, along with my new combat destroyers at each of the targets. I started to build a couple of defense satellites to defend the planets. I had a couple of turns left. More new destroyers were commissioned for immediate transfer to the front.

Suddenly two more fleets appear. Only they were blue, not Liir pink. Not only were the Tarka in the neighborhood, but they were paying a social call (with heavy weapons). A quick change of plans and reshuffling of the fleets later, I was ready to take on this new threat. Fortunately, the smaller Tarka fleet was attacking the vulnerable new colony. It was only a couple of ships so I should be able to hold them off.

The first Liir fleet was the most successful. They charged in with ten ships. Once engaged, they broke of four ships to make a turn wise run at the planet. The four took out a defensive satellite while I scrambled to get some ships in pursuit. Soon the Liir destroyers opened up on the planet. They didn't seem to have any heavy weapons, but the blasts were starting to take a toll when my pursuit finally caught up with them. In the end, I lost two ships to their six. The planet was still mine, but some of the enemy escaped.

The second battle, I kept a tighter leash on my ships. I had them arranged in a simple fan formation that could easily be swung around to attack a flank. It seems the Liir have better scanners than I do since they were able to swing turn wise and make a strafing run at the planet. I noticed it before they got in range of the planet. I wheeled around and was just able to cut them off from the planet. Eight of their ships were destroyed to no losses for me beyond a satellite and some surface damage on the planet.

The Tarka either sent some older ships to check me out, or they're way behind the Liir in technology. The Tarka ships were just shredded by my weapons. Neither fleet presented much of a challenge. No survivors escaped to tell the tale either.

Now it's time to go on the offensive. I've had two exploration fleets destroyed when I discovered Liir planets. My revenge fleets are being constructed. The first Hive cruiser has just thrusted out of space dock. It's time to see if the psychic fishes can read what's on my mind.

I took a little battle footage. If it turned out ok, I might have another movie for you.

Jason