I admit I don't usually go to the full +35 or even +30, as I am partial to the Merchant culture. It may be a very bad idea, but I do prefer 120 maintenance (that is, a mere 5% upkeep) to a +10 to both offence and defence. Perhaps I should change my mind...
(Mind you, the almost nil upkeep is very nice, especially when under pressure or to take a small technological lead, but is it worth it? I wonder)
Not much is going on in our KOTH game, the Frontier is under control and there are still a few colonies here and there in enemy territory. (There are four systems in which both of us have colonies, and a few systems without any planets that are disputed.) There have been a few skirmishes involving some fighters and the EEEvil ships, but nothing on the grand scale.
However, an enemy fleet has been sighted in the southern systems and is threatening the League outer worlds. Likewise, one can assume the League has not been building civilian freighters in the mean time to do peaceful trading with the EEE, and so we can expect some battles in the next months. I believe we will have some surprises then, as we do not know what we have been doing with our research since there has been no true engagement between warships yet.
Even communications are almost silent, with a few taunts coming from the EEEvil EEEmpire from time to time, and a swift response from the Arcadia League. I reckon our war councils are too busy to prepare the upcoming battles to bother with communications and petty threats. Or they are bettering their insane ways, your choice.
So far, it has been a very enjoyable game and my best to date along with my match with Slynky. (The one where both players thought they were losing.
) And this time, as my warships do not have a basic strategy of "Don't get hurt", I do hope to stand a chance, however slight it is, or else I will have to resolve to my adventurous ways once more.
