Heh, even though my tech was MUCH higher, I run in developer mode cause I like to watch the battles between NPRs.
This was an "awakened" NPR, woken up by me. I immediately left his home system, and started the communications.
Problem was, I had an archeology dig in the next system, and the Fleet moved in to defend it, when scores of small
surveying vessels entered the system. THEN, just was I was preparing to unleash the wrath of the Emperor upon the
alien heathens, the turn report showed it was the only way out of their home system. So, I conceded the system, and
evacuated everyone out, but when they entered the NEXT system, Proxima, they hit "The Line". I destroyed about 10
or twelve survey ships before they gave up.
The Imperium as it currently stands. All unbroken jumpgates leading from Sol, are Imperial Space, with Jump Point
defense bases where the Gates end. Time to digest my claimed territory, before one of the other three NPRs finds me
and tries to "horn in" on my turf.
Oh, and he expanded via Tau Ceti, when I "discouraged" him from adventuring in Proxima. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Too soon, I fear. He ran into a strong Precurser presence in a system next to Tau Ceti. The resulting battle was HUGELY
entertaining, as a prime example of mutual slaughter. He won, but lost half his fleet in doing so, AND many survey ships,
before his fleet finally responded. Since five of the Precurser ships massed 13300 tons, I really didn't know if he'd win
since he had nothing over 7700 tons, and many were armed with particle beams. His missile ships pounded from a
distance, while the others closed to "knife-edge" range. Made me wince to watch it.
The Aftermath. Wish I dared sneak in a salvage ship.
Eric