Re: Galaxy

From: desj@ccr-p.ida.org (David desJardins)

Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1993 00:55:10 +0000

John Sloan <js138@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes:
> What it adds to the gameplay is this : a larger person will still be
> able to flatten a smaller and less technologically advanced person, it
> will take longer to do, by dint of requireing large numbers of Marines
> to be shipped in - which gives the smaller person more time to scream
> for help.  As is, a player can be wiped out in 1/2 turns moderately
> easily.  You could still do this but it would be harder.

In the "endgame" of Galaxy, when most planets are fully developed and
empires have industry in the tens of thousands and double-digit tech
levels, it takes a really really long time to kill someone.  Certainly
not one or two turns, in the best of circumstances.

I have attacked players who have half my tech levels and half my
industry.  It will take me several turns at least to build up forces and
wipe out their defenses a few planets at a time.  Meanwhile I expect
that I might myself lose a planet or two a turn---out of 60.

Neither of us could possibly afford to take on the other head-on at
every planet in a single turn, even me with my large advantages.  And if
we were evenly matched it would be that much more drawn out.  I can
easily imagine a war between two evenly matched 100-planet empires, with
everyone else eliminated, going on for many tens of turns, until one
wins by a slow battle of attrition.  Sure, each player can mass
overwhelming force at one or few planets and beat the defenses there.
(Although with the large advantages the defense enjoys if properly
employed---and no, I'm not going to tell you everything about how to
play the game---you still have a lot more trouble than you might think.)
But it takes a long time to reduce a large empire that way!

David desJardins

References

Galaxy
js138@cus.cam.ac.uk (John Sloan)
Mon, 01 Mar 1993 11:52:02 +0000
Re: Galaxy
jcho@nmsu.EDU (CHO)
Mon, 01 Mar 1993 23:18:03 +0000
Re: Galaxy
js138@cus.cam.ac.uk (John Sloan)
Wed, 03 Mar 1993 10:35:33 +0000