First Turns: The Robotic Imperium

Most games are won or lost in the first few turns. This series concentrates only on those critical few turns leading up to the Ship Limit as a key to achieving long-term goals necessary for victory.

Overview:

The Robots have a powerful and unique, yet limited, ship list. They are remarkable not only for having not one but two effective heavy carriers, the Golem and the Automa, but also for their ability to control vast swathes of the battleground using their mass minelaying advantage by way of their lone minelayer, the Cat’s Paw. The inexpensive and relatively low-tech medium carrier, the Instrumentality, is the cherry on top.

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Threat Assessment: The Robotic Imperium

This is the sixth anonymous report analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of one of the Eleven Races. These redacted versions were approved by the Senate for immediate publication, to be read by commanders of each respective race in order that they can review their own vulnerabilities in the face of the unknown external threat that commissioned the studies. In this dispatch we focus on that faction known as the Robotic Imperium: its strengths, its weaknesses, and how best to defeat it in battle.

Overview

Ease Of Command: Veteran
Difficulty To Defeat: Average
Style: Defensive

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A Modest Proposal: Race Balance In Standard

EDITORIAL

If you haven’t heard the term “Nerf Crystal” by now, you haven’t been listening.

The recent change in Standard and League games that has resulted from the removal of friendly codes and Safe Passage options from web fields has created a race without diplomatic options. Their ship list is inconducive to trading, being composed largely of overpriced minelayers and understrength warships — plus one 5-point terraformer. Now that they can’t trade their webs as currency, the Crystals have gone from one of the dominant races to something just slightly too sad to be considered a joke.

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ACTION NEWS: Spilled Hydraulic Fluid

This is Planets Magazine Action News, coming to you live with a special report: The Capricorn War — Conflict in Echo Cluster!

Good evening; I’m Jim Chancellite. The top story for today is a reported combat in the long-static sector, as the Robot fleet, newly awakened from years of low-power maintenance cycles, engaged a Cyborg post vessel on its rounds. Ace Reporter Pat Patterson is Continue reading

ACTION NEWS: Ziggy Stardust Dies

This is Planets Magazine Action News, coming to you live with a special report!

Good evening; I’m Jim Chancellite. Dark news today, with the death of noted Crystalline leader Ziggy Stardust: cultural icon, transracial polyAdmiral, goblin king, and winner of Continue reading