[Puke]

i bet the SM tech could be traded for. if the AI is cruising around in baseships, odds are they have some SM tech. re-evaluating the situation, there is no possible way to achive that goal with the current research output.

for clarification, my geographic direction is fairly fixed. i have decided to go for the Saiph system and pick up some sensors ASAP, so that I can minimize the need for defense fleets. I am planning on making up for any lost happyness with troops, and then expanding one planet at a time to some of the better oxygen planets. in the spirit of the game, i have decided AGAINST exploring any more systems that might have better planets. when i say change direction, i am refering more to re-evaluations of the decisions i made regarding scrapping, retorfitting, or major shifts in research priorities.

i realize this still makes me no better than a rouge-like-game savegame exploiter, but at least i have some principals.

as a side note, i have a good idea why your sun is exploding. over half the other races are LUCKY! of course you are getting the bad events!

as an unrelated note, this would really suck if you had to play it against the Rage: "Matching speed Captain, sensors detect no shield grid present on the colony ship. Cutting charges ready, stand by Marines. Wait, she's coming about.. Holy SHI+, brace for impa---" *SMASH* "Damage control teams report hull breaches on decks 3-12, engines reduced to half capacity! We've been rammed hard, Sir!"

and if i can cram one more thing into this already overtaxed post, It would be a pretty sweet challenge to see who can submit a save game that fills the victory conditions in the shortest number of turns.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)