Personal experience playing Deadlock I / II

[MaugTheInfirm]

In the second Ch'Cht scenario, their queen has been taken by the Cyth. I didn't realize everyone else on the map had better technology and a built up colony except me, so I expanded very quickly and ignored research - I hoped to reach swamp soon. Watching a Cyth fusion cannon stroll by, and another two on a ship many turns later, I realized my mistake. I was completely outclassed and should make my territories well defended, rather than expanding quickly, so I restarted.

I took a more usual approach (for me) on my second run, building a university in my home territory. Researching metallurgy makes a huge difference - the money I save on transport costs makes buildings go up faster. Ch'Cht Landing and a plains focused on wood production, while my mountain territory provided iron. I kept my population limit at 2000 in the mountains until my museum was almost finished. Once I had shockwave dreadnaughts, I launched 5 of them at a Cyth ocean platform and took it. The ocean is really a wide river dividing Ch'Cht Landing from the Cyth colony - and taking that territory let me see what was waiting behind it: 6+ planes and 6+ AAVs! Yikes - more powerful than my army, yet the next turn they suffered losses from an Uva Mosk attack. Seems like I have to form treaties with the Uva Mosk since they're keeping me from being attacked.

In the first scenario, I wiped out the Cyth shortly after turn 40, but that was with an equal start. This time, I've gradually built up to control two swamps on the upper left and lower left side of the map - my entire territory is one deep, except the mountains, which is very vulnerable to attack.

Adjacent to my colony is wasteland, and past that are a new Cyth territory, and a just-colonized Re'lu territory. I just finished training my entire military (3 planes, 3 fusion cannon, 4 SAM troopers) to veteran status, and have sent them into the new Re'lu territory. If those Command Corp arrive to defend it, I'll probably lose.

I wonder if I could stuff the Relu army with laser troopers by attacking in waves. In each wave, his Command Corp will mind control laser troopers. Then I build more and send them in - more mind control. I might be able to stuff his army with weak infantry, while the computer pays an exponential maintenance cost (10 troops cost 100/turn, 20 troops 400/turn, 40 troops 1600/turn). Of course, if he attacks with it, the joke's on me.

[MaugTheInfirm]

The Cyth had the best military units available long before I did (in the second Ch'Cht scenario of Deadlock II). I've mostly been catching up, focused on research and pruning small territories from my enemies (Re'lu and Cyth).

Somewhere around turn 55, I would up spending $25,000 credits in a turn or two. I can't account for all of it - $5,000 for 10 holocaust cannon, $2,800 for 28 regular missiles, and maybe $4,000 for 20 assault troopers. I probably moved large quantities of resources back to my base, and took pity on the Uva Mosk who are always offering me trades. Normally I don't worry about money at all in the late game, but I had to watch my spending for a bit to build my credits back up (I had nearly $40,000).

I normally don't bother with spies, and this scenario confirmed that view. I sent two veteran spies to disarm mines in front of my advancing army. I didn't have time for them to wander around becoming elite, and they were sent into territories with Cyth military units. Neither one succeeded.

I've noticed sometimes my military just doesn't like buildings. I'll tell them to avoid mines, which means they attack anything... but they keep attacking after the enemy is destroyed. They wiped everything but some luxury housing in one territory doing that.

At turn 75, I finally reached my objective - I took over the territory in the middle of the Cyth colony. The Cyth issue threats every turn. But now that Cyth are down to 2 damaged territories, they've decided to end hostilities. A bit late for that. I can win by holding the current territory for another 14 turns. I've got 15+ assault troopers and about 12 holocaust cannon, and I can't recall the name of the 8 advanced planes flying overhead. Combined with 8-10 anti-matter forts I built, I don't see anyone getting it back from me.

For whatever reason, I forgot about missiles until late in the game. I built colony assault silos in 7 different territories, and then hammered Cyth territories with salvoes of 24-28 missiles each turn. Missiles are no match for advanced units - but there's also too many to shoot down. A bit costly, but fun to watch. I also like using missiles to distract an enemy on the turn my army invades a territory, but I wasn't consistent about that.

I had one decision point where my army was sitting on two squares, and I had two territories to attack. I had spent two turns building the most advanced missiles that require 100 labor each (and 20 anti-matter pods, owch). I decided to send those to my objective, which had lots of fixed defenses, and then move my army into the territory with a Cyth military. He had 5 ground units, with at least 2 holocaust cannon, but they were destroyed instantly so I couldn't be sure - good work by 13+ holocaust cannon of my own (and 4 disruptor cannon, which didn't get damaged and may not have reached the battle in time).

The Cyth and Re'lu only have a couple land territories each (yet somehow the Re'lu can afford 14 planes?!), plus one Relu ocean territory. I took a mountain territory from the Re'lu, which serves as a forward base. Sometimes the Uva Mosk wander too close and find out why that's a bad idea, but mostly I destroy new Re'lu colonies from there.

Seems like this is a waiting game now, although I might see what happens if I finish off the Cyth and Re'lu.

[MaugTheInfirm]

In the second scenario for the Humans, you have to capture 3 shrines before the time limit of 55 turns. About halfway through, the Ch'Cht drop onto a wasteland square with a significant army to help out (and with a military alliance - part of the scenario). By then I had already colonized two adjacent territories that block access to that shrine. As long as my defenses held, the Tarth couldn't grab that shine.

Early on I had some inefficient buildings to avoid transfer costs, but once I hit hoverway the Human superpower kicked in and I specialized. I had a bog where I just kept building fusion reactors (and later anti-matte reactors). Hoverway lets me specialize, which I enjoy.

Once I had a few automated factories, they converted iron to steel, and I used that steel to build more automated factories. I had to add more mantle drills to ensure I had enough iron production. Very exciting to see a colony struggling, and then have +800 steel/turn.

Building a navy and air force can be done while my automated factories continue producing steel, so that's what I did. My 4 hydroports constructed 6 dreadnaughts in one turn, and then began the two-square journey to enemy territory. In the meantime, I produced 3 planes the first turn, and 4 planes the second. Then I hit Tarth's sole ocean platform with 6 dreadnaughts and 7 planes, and the battle ended very quickly.

The end game was really when I started cranking out fusion cannon and SAM troopers. I also had a training facility to get them to veteran status. And then I hit Tarth Landing with 7 fusion cannon and 7-8 SAM troopers. The 7 planes did more of the work, and took more of the damage, but Tarth Landing fell. I then took over his other territory - and the Ch'Cht finally decided to help, joining the battle with 8-10 AAVs. We had a victory pact by then, and our forces didn't harm each other. I'm glad that worked smoothly.

One lone Tarth laser cannon wandered around behind those territories, so I chased it for a couple turns. In the meantime, I had 4 transports waiting for my army to cross the ocean. I hit the Tarth on turn 40 with 5 fusion cannon, 6 SAM troopers, and 1 command corp to improve their aim. Oh, and 7 planes. That epic battle ended the scenario on turn 40, so I had 15 turns of breathing room.

I felt the early scenario was stressful - I reached 1/3rd of the way through and didn't have much to show for it. I started gathering momentum after turn 20, and when turn 30 arrived, I felt the Tarth were already doomed - they just didn't know it yet. I don't generally like time limits, but overall I enjoyed this scenario.

I'm slowly realizing I have more fun playing Human than Maug. Sorry about that, Maug.

[MaugTheInfirm]

I'm playing each race in the second [TYPO: was third] scenario of Deadlock II... and I feel like I'm playing Maug the Slog. This map has many islands, and shrines that appear in sea squares over time. Very early on, a human AAV showed up when I barely expanded into a swamp territory. I built multiple laser towers and killed him off. Once I had metal production up and running, Uva Mosk showed up with 5 AAVs, and I figured he would surely attack, seeing only 3 laser towers. Instead he waited, and I filled the front 1/3rd of my colony with 12 laser towers in one turn. Other than that drama, it hasn't been too interesting.

I'm starting to realize Maug simply need fewer research buildings to get the research they need. I can gain one level a turn as Humans or Ch'Cht, I just need more buildings. And that means the Maug have an okay power, but nothing compared to moving goods for free from an early tech level. So I'm starting to shift my allegiance from the Maug to playing Human. I really like specializing that playing Human allows. I think Ch'Cht now take second place, with their overpopulated sea platforms and stunning birth rate.

One battle involved 1 infantry against 5 ... or so it seemed. I sent in a battle trooper, and the Uva Mosk ramped up their colonists to 5. The battle trooper only looked outnumbered by the 5 colonists - and only paused when fighting 3 of them at the same time. Fun battle. The next turn, I moved in 6 new assault troopers to defend that island.

It's turn 55 or so... and I'm still struggling with producing wood. It's a bit ridiculous - and partly my own fault, for using wood in new territories and sea colonizers. I've put a pause on all wood use so I can save up 100 wood to build a food replicator over a square with 18 wood.... which is the best square in my entire empire of 10 land territories and about 8 sea territories. And I started in it - Maug Landing.

I've recently finished the technology that gives me Holocaust Cannon. I should probably crank out a number of those, and use sea transports to wipe out my opponents. On my next turn, I will control just 2 shrines out of 5 needed. Rather than fight sea battles over those, I think I'd do better sending holocaust cannon to fight land battles. Hopefully the slog will be at an end soon.

This scenario will probably than usual both in turns, and in time. The third Maug scenario feels a bit boring overall, but maybe I am just not playing aggressively (hampered by wood shortages, which mean I can't expand that quickly).

[MaugTheInfirm]

The slog ended on turn 81, and that was only the second scenario for Maug. It felt longer.

I started both capturing shrines (objective is 5) and wiping territories. It's annoying reaching the enemy locations in the upper right of the map, but once I arrived (and my missiles did), things went more smoothly.

The human player, after I wiped 70% of his Navy, bragged about the pressure he was applying. I sent missiles and spyjets to end his empire - not exactly pressure when an enemy has a single sea territory with 3 colonists.

When I landed two holocaust cannon on a human island, the defenses included 2 laser troops, 2 laser towers, and 50 colonists. And they held! They lost 2/3rds of the colonists, but they destroyed my holocaust cannons. I returned later with 2 holocaust cannon and 4 assault troopers, which got through.

In Maug Landing, I started using wood only for new food replicators on squares with a high wood content. I don't recall ever building a 2x2 grid of food replicators before, but I needed wood production. It worked - wood production skyrocketed. But I also got tired of waiting, and paid large sums for 100 wood in several territories, and then 500 wood in Maug Landing (which triggered a scandal).

I hope to avoid sea scenarios as the Maug, as this one was slow and painful.

[MaugTheInfirm]

Maybe I should summarize instead of retelling every event.

Level 3 of Uva Mosk campaign is my favorite so far. The swamp you start in has a square with 136 energy, while other squares have 40+ food. I colonized a plains and shifted colonists there to grow faster. Uva Mosk's bonus doesn't matter much with these excessive values. Half the map is wasteland, with pairs of players fighting over viable chunks of land. I grew so fast, I colonized two territories on the other side of the map before my opponents (and ally) did. Humans criticized my "primitive technology" a few turns before I wiped away one of their territories. Maug were appropriately fearful even of my new colony with laser turrets - my massed army was on the move. Great scenario - small colonies, but lots of interaction and strategy.

I've abandoned my approach of switching races and completing every level. I repeatedly forgot Uva Mosk have Command Corp that can add bonus squares to territory. By continuing with level 4 of Uva Mosk, I hope to recall their abilities and use them more.

On Uva Mosk level 4, the Cyth land on about turn 18-20... and walked up to my territory with a disruptor cannon! I hadn't finished the first level of research, and the Cyth land with level 5 military units, which I don't like. The map features halved values for iron and endurium, leading to some hilarious endurium bonus squares of 4. That's a good restriction for me, with bonus resource production, but I can only take on the Human player next to me for now. I have nothing that will stand up against a disruptor cannon, and those who own them won't agree to peace with me. A mixed level so far, but the reduced resources makes it interesting.