I play a lot of strategy games, and I often encounter something I call The Klingon Problem.

Klingons are a warrior race that excels at combat.  So in a war of Ferengi VS Klingons, who do you think would win?  That's right, the Ferengi.

Wait...what?!  You heard me.  The Ferengi.  And you know why?  Because the Klingon Empire's focus on combat above all else means that it struggles to build up its economy in the early game, and because its economy lags behind, so too does its shipbuilding.  It doesn't matter how amazing Klingons are in combat when they're out-numbered, out-supplied, and struggle to replenish losses.  Even if they have a unique ability where victory in combat gives them resources, they have to win battles before they can get the resources to win battles.  It's a catch-22.

Almost every time I watch AI-controlled empires duke it out, the economy-focused Ferengi win against the military-focused Klingons simply because they're the ones who can acquire fleets faster.  So even though the Klingons are better pound-for-pound, the Ferengi overwhelm and crush them.

Quote from: Hydra009 on March 05, 2024, 04:08:59 AMI play a lot of strategy games, and I often encounter something I call The Klingon Problem.

Klingons are a warrior race that excels at combat.  So in a war of Ferengi VS Klingons, who do you think would win?  That's right, the Ferengi.

Wait...what?!  You heard me.  The Ferengi.  And you know why?  Because the Klingon Empire's focus on combat above all else means that it struggles to build up its economy in the early game, and because its economy lags behind, so too does its shipbuilding.  It doesn't matter how amazing Klingons are in combat when they're out-numbered, out-supplied, and struggle to replenish losses.  Even if they have a unique ability where victory in combat gives them resources, they have to win battles before they can get the resources to win battles.  It's a catch-22.

Almost every time I watch AI-controlled empires duke it out, the economy-focused Ferengi win against the military-focused Klingons simply because they're the ones who can acquire fleets faster.  So even though the Klingons are better pound-for-pound, the Ferengi overwhelm and crush them.

I've seen a couple games get around this problem by giving their "Klingons" simultaneous strike capability. By this, I don't mean that they divide their firepower, but that they can simply use their weapon(s) against two or more targets at once. For example, a swordsman who hits three targets in one slash. So now even though they have fewer units, they can focus down more targets at once without dividing their DPS.

This game looks really fun. The physics look very satisfying to play around with. Also, if you've never seen a Dunkey video, the guy is fucking hilarious. lol

My brother just told me that the entirety of the Command and Conquer games are on sale on Steam for ten bucks.  Fantastic deal.

And since I misplaced my CDs long ago and no longer have a CD drive, I figured that I might as well switch to digital.  Plus, who knows, maybe a buck or two might go to funding a Red Alert 2 remaster.  That would make me so happy...

I love playing Red Alert 2 again.  It's every bit as enjoyable and nostalgic as when I first touched it.  Deceptively easy to learn, hard to master.

Air units, especially Rocketeers, are absolutely busted.  The game has no fog of war except for rare structures that generate a "shroud" around themselves, so Rocketeers are ludicrously powerful scouts and early harassment.  Smart players invest heavily in mobile AA to counter, but the computer is somewhat lacking there and vulnerable to air spam.

On brutal difficulty, the computer is still quite a challenge, using interesting strategies, including some pretty subtle techniques.  Gaining the upper hand and knocking out its construction yard (the building that builds all other buildings) is so satisfying - it's like the fall of the Isengard tower.  It's all downhill from there!

I'm so hyped for this game.  I'm going to review it with a lot of slack since it's literally one guy's labor of love, which is highly unusual for the genre.  So I'm not going to expect much bells and whistles.  If it releases in a reasonably playable state, it'll get high marks from me.

It works with a semi-realistic logistics system where personnel and resources have to be sent from planets to orbiting stations near the planet and finally to way stations far away.  The way logistics work, if your space fleet needs 2000 kilos of fuel, it has to work its way from the planet to your fleet.  Otherwise, your fleet can and will have a dramatic running-out-of-fuel BSG episode and no one wants that.

You also can't realistically use the "doomstack" strategy - pool all your resources into a single fleet and pulverize everything in your way like the Irken Armada.  You have to actually defend your logistics network, so you need to use several smaller fleets and go on raids to disrupt enemy logistics while they're doing the same to you.  Inflict enough economic pain and you'll pull ahead in resourcing and eventually outproduce/outgun your enemy.  It's going to be quite a challenge to adapt away from my usual doomstack strategy.

I hear you can disable/capture enemy ships, so it'll be interesting to use a restrained approach and try to trophy as much of the enemy's stuff as possible rather than just blowing it all up.

Due to my renewed fascination with Fallout, I am once again venturing out in the Mojave Wastes.

...and I saved near the end of the Dead Money DLC.  This questline is so freakin' hard it's unbelievable - imagine running around in a giant maze with almost no gear/supplies, unsettling ambiance, powerful enemies, toxic gas, and the cherry on top - a beeping collar.  The most frustrating questline in New Vegas by far, no wonder I never saw it through all the way.  Thanks to my long absence, I managed somehow to bork the quest which will not complete no matter what I do in-game, so the game forced me to use a console command to complete the quest.  But it was all worth it for sweet, sweet freedom!



My version of New Vegas has never been so peaceful.  Every bad faction has been completely wiped out (Legion, Fiends, Khans, House - all kaput), NCR controls the strip, the NCR and Kings work together to feed Freeside, the Brotherhood escorts NCR patrols, the Boomers are enjoying their new bomber, the ghouls are on holiday out in space, and the Followers are doing great.  It's legitimately hard to find anywhere dangerous.

I suppose I could do Old World Blues or Lonesome Road...