The Let's Play Archive

Sword of the Stars 1 & 2

by Veloxyll

Part 4: Turns 60-79


An endless sea of bugs (spawning inside the sun) Lets Play Sword of the Stars 2: Hiver Imperium

Update 4. Turns 60-79.


Right. I've procrastinated doing this update long enough!

Our neighbours decend into Anarchy.

The other thing to note is that only Negative Forum Post worlds will be readily colonisable. Thankfully, since Hivers, having a bunch of terrible planets doesn't slow our fleets, since every world is only 1 turn away. I guess the Kerberos gunshow is telling us we're at war.

Apparently everyone hates the alien. And by alien I mean "has a different number of colonies"


Hooray, more stations.


Online retailers demand the ability to do more than distribute glorified Steam Keys

We over-write the data they've already downloaded with an older version.
That's what happened on release. People who bought the game elsewhere had to install Steam and verify their keys on there. Which then proceeded to download an older version of the game over their downloaded version. It would not let them use their downloaded version at all.

It's about this time that I get a teensy bit worried.


Meanwhile, the fact my fleets are all out setting up new Gates means that my Colony fleet sees battle. I actually auto-resolved it for some reason.


I think we did okay in the end. Naturally it doesn't use your empire name here, lest you somehow were getting the slightest bit of immersion from the game.


Oh yeah. That's right. We weren't at war until they attacked that fleet. So yes, the AI will surprise attack you. So I guess that's something. Though attacked and got beat up by a colony fleet.


Guess there's even less reason to build one of these for Kerberos (I should've named them after the race I was building them for in hindsight.)


Although the tooltips don't differentiate really either. Plus we can't actually build a Suul'ka one anyhow. I bet the Space Dolphins can.

Was it originally planned that you just used your GDP for all diplomacy then they added RDP for...reasons? or what?

Kerberos's Survey Fleets don't take the hint, and I have an actual attack fleet to meet them this time.

Not that there's any way to tell which fleet is deployed on the UI.

They shoot a lot of holes in our Armors, but I'm pretty sure we're winning.


After we clear out the warships, we have some time to beat up the support ships. But despite the pretty explosions, they actually get away with a few ships.


Oh hey, Independent races are actually in game. I thought they got cut.

Spoilers - Diplomatic relations are not yet possible at time of posting.

65 turns in and the Empire Station Manager is already a mess.


In preperation for properly designed warships, I create a new Command Vessel.


Which I have to prototype, of course.


CodersAdmirals do anything they can to escape Kerberos Interactive.


We remove them from a world in response.


Also we research ways to make EVEN BETTER Bugs.


Then start on some REAL anti-ship weapons. I debate the Long Range part unless they've been significantly changed.

The main reason I use these is far too many fights against Space Dolphins where they field matter deflector shields. Combat Lasers give them the firepower to remove the offending shield system.

Our very first RDP!


Our repair ships pay off quickly.

Yay projects.

One of our Gatefleets discovers a colony with two enemy construction fleets.


It'd be nice if there was some indication of whose fleet it actually was. That is kinda one of the default start fleet names.


here I do a dumb thing and forget that just because they are arriving all the way over there, doesn't mean they cannot deploy anywhere the red covers.

No shots of it, but they deployed next to my Gateship and cut us off. Worse, that was this fleet's only Gateship, it's now forced to stick to realspace. We blow up their constructors at least.

Though why they have Anti-matter drives (as denoted by purple exhausts) I don't know.

We do upgrade our Diplomatic Station(s) though! We can now generate 3 RDP a turn. I wonder if I'm meant to throw these out everywhere?


We also team up with Negative Forum Posts to destroy Kerberos's precious hard work.


The game decides that I really need to see my home system for some reason.


I set the support elements of the fleet to use their missiles and keep range on the enemy so they don't get damaged.


I give entirely different orders to my warships.


The AI actually remembered something about its ships. I only caught the blast dissipating here.


It's super effective.

All Four Armor class ships are now floating wrecks.


Says it all really. That blast did as much damage as my entire fleet. And remember that Suul'ka also have boarding technology to be broken with.

Since we did destroy their command vessel, they are forced to retreat regardless.

Given that I've also lost that fleet's warships, I give essentially the same order.

Our agents are not yet prepared to spy on Kerberos's activities.


I learn my first thing about diplomacy! The points limits are not enforced. Nor does it deduct from global points to make up the difference. :mercon:


Well hmm. I want the 2nd planet there. Might have to do something about these xenos.


Or maybe it did deduct the points. Just. You know. Later. That explains how the Suul'ka got points to declare war at least. Not that the maths adds up either way.


Nope. Surveyed them, still can't Diplo them.


One of our fleets catches a lot of colonisers on the move. I guess they were going through here to somewhere more central. Were.

The little box from the top left allows us to deploy different fleets for each battle, if we had them. There are 3 battles scheduled to happen this turn. Because of Command limits, it has to give that so that you can't just screen your better ships through un-molested. So easily, anyhow.

They are actually able to put out considerable damage with their missile spam.


Despite heavy casualties amongst our Armors, we press the attack. Really need ships with better point defense


That is a lot of damage there.


In the next round of combat, one of our surviving warships buys the farm.


The second one closes to range, but meets the same fate. Now it is a battle between support ships and colony ships.
Which is mostly the trading of missiles.


They destroy our command ship. Only the fact they're relocating keeps them from trying to secure the system fully.


We break 50 Spypoints! Lets see how intel works.


While we wait, this happens.

When it rains, it pours.

Also there's another fight at Tungugsta, but lets not worry about that.
Meet the Ghost Ship.


Its point defense phasers are mean to our missiles, when they can hit.


Closer inspection shows it is an ex-human ship. I'd probably have to look on the wiki for its lore because the ingame encyclopaedia sucks.

The SFS-01 Leviathan. I spared you the shots from the other side because it is mostly glare.

It really hates my trading post. Thankfully, since the pirates were attacking too, it only gets the 2.5 minute Pirate raid battle clock, instead of the regular 5 minute clock.

If someone can explain why my Trading post has MAIN THRUST, I'll be impressed. Without using :mercon: I mean.

YESSSS. Now I can build some proper warships.


This is what our spies dug up.


Not that helpful, guys.


Hooray. We can generate more intel points.


Oh also, the right click menu. It lies.

Or teases you at least.

Battles continue to be fought in the Tiamat and Tunguska systems.




This time our Armors are able to close to attack range


And strike without mercy.


Also, our scientists make everything we build 10% cheaper.


The game reminds us what it is though. As I am exiting the game from the main menu.


In unrelated news, there is a Masters of Orion 2 LP being run by nweismuller being run. And it's looking like it'll be pretty fun if you want to read about a GOOD game.

I should've put this in a SOTS1 update, shouldn't I, if I was looking for people who enjoy GOOD 4Xs.

Also: I swear I screencapped my heavy beam ship that I designed too. Eh, I'll do it at the start of next update when it gets to show off. I am pretty sure I've prototyped the damn thing, at least.