In my latest campaign, I havn´t build any warships, as I didn´t have contact with aliens yet.
Then, in Kuiper 79 (2 jumps out from Sol), one of my survey ships gets destroyed by a hostile NPR (possibly Precursor)
Well, it has happened before.
Survey Group No. 2 retreats to Sol to report the incident.
On their way, they cross 61 Cygni, where I have two small archeological digs.
2 weeks later, Cargo Group No. 1 (9 freighters, 1 jump freighter) shuttles automines to the two digs in 61 Gliese, when they detect three ships from those aliens at point blank range.
The aliens start ramming attacks, destroying all of my freighters and loosing one of their own in the process.
Oh hell! Ok, let´s start building a military and replace the freighters.
Then, out of nowhere, I get ground combat messages from 61 Cygni-B II (the larger of the two digs)
I start looking for robotic guardians, but no sign of them.
Darn, darn, darn! Those aliens apparently were troop transports!
After three months of combat, I have lost three battalions, and the enemy is wiped out (18 alien assault infantry and marine battalions). Fortunately, they attacked on this site, where, after encountering robot guardians, I had droped an entire division with top notch leaders and several replacement battalions. The other dig would have fallen within a few weeks.
I wasn´t aware the NPRs would ground assault in 5.42. Ramping up troop training as much as possible while also building warhsps as fast as I can.
Econnomy is stretched to the limit, resources start to run low.
I love it!