Struggle for The Galactic Empire

[Old Dwarf]

Here's the blurb from Decision Games;

In the far future, Earth is a distant myth. When mankind gained the means to transit the vastness of space safely and quickly, a great human wave extended across the galaxy, and humans soon inhabited thousands of worlds.

Communities of worlds formed alliances; alliances became federations, and eventually a galactic empire was born. That empire existed for millennia, growing and consolidating, bringing most of the inhabited worlds under its control.

Despite its size and apparent success, though, all is not well in the Galactic Empire. There are rebels, usurpers, those who want to create empires of their own, and aliens of every imaginable form. Over the long millennia, even the form of man is taking a new shape with genetic engineering.

Struggle for the Galactic Empire is a solitaire science fiction game. You assume leadership of the forces of the Galactic Empire as it strives to maintain and expand its dominion while fighting off the forces of chaos that seek to destroy it. You make all the military, political, social and economic decisions to deal with the threats that arise, keep the far-flung empire stable, and still expand and bring new glory through discovery, colonization and conquest.

The map shows the entire galaxy divided into sectors of star systems. Production is carried out by nano-assemblers to create starships and world-sized weapons. Units include combat and colonization ships, control groups and leaders. Units have two types of combat values: weapons and morphogenetic systems. Weapons destroy the enemy, while morphogenetic systems change them into friends. Loyalties switch back and forth depending on the situation.

Threats are generated by over 100 randomly drawn chaos markers. They include: rebels, usurpers, independent empires, invaders and alien forces, as well as technological, economic, social, political and military events. You can also launch expeditions to attempt to gain new knowledge and technology. Other rules allow you to use psycho-social warfare and propaganda to repress rebellions.

Contents:
352 Die cut counters
1 34" x 22" Map
1 Rule booklet
Player Aids
Storage bags

Ok I picked this baby as I like Solo Games & it
reminded me of it's SPI ancestor Outreach.
Actually its based on Asimov's Foundation Series ,
with a few name changes (Fondation=Institute,
Mule=Mutant).

I decided to play the 2nd Scernio The Empire
Strikes (or as Asimov would call it "Foundation
& Empire" (book 2 of the series)I had a nice
plan to roll up an independent Empite near
the Galatic Rim & then reabsorb all the break
away systems in the The Herculis Quadrant.

Well the game starts with 2 rounds of Chaos
Events & when it was over my Imperial Strike
Force rebelled & the Sector the main Imperial
Force was in declared itself an Independent
Empire & took my Imperial Forces with it.
That & few other nasties took the Game
in a totally new direction.

Im on the 2nd turn of the Scenario (it has 5)
and I;m really impressed.The rules are tight
& clear cut & does give you the feeling
of trying to manage a vast Empire.Luck
is of course present but there are ways to
manage it.You need to have a clear plan
for victory but also have to deal with events
that can easily side track those plans.

If your into solo & SiFi it's a must have.

OD

[supervike]

Foundation is one of the few Asimov books I have read (and I still call myself a fan of the genre!)

I love sci fi, and like to play with myself. On another note, I also like solo games....:rolleyes::P


The scope seems a bit overwhelming though. Still, it's something I wouldn't mind checking out more of.

Thanks for this OD!

[Old Dwarf]

SV-it's really not such a bear Everything is done in set phases
so you can keep track of things.It is one of those games
you need to play some & leave set up & then continue.
A poster over at BGG has even put up Game Sheets that
allow you to record the game put it away & then set up
& resume play.

The Game has 7 Scenarios:

Over The Edge-10 turns (the Galactic Empire begins to decline)
Civil War-10 turns
The Empire Strikes-5turn (the Empire trys a come back)
Eternal Empire-10 turns
Transhuman Revolt-10 turns
Second Empire-10 turns
Sweep of Empire-Unlimited turns(pick any of the other
Scenarios & play till the Empire wins an Universal Victory)

Each Scenario has its own Victory conditions that rate
The Empire from Collapse,Decline,Survial,Expanding,
Galactic.

OD

PS-Here's a run down of the first half of the Second Turn (this covers the Chaos
Evente & the actions of the various hostile Forces-just before the Empire
conducts its phases.

The Empire Strikes

Events in the few after year after the Bel-Roise disaster
saw pirates make a minor incursion into the Periphery Psi
Sector but otherwise things proved kinder to
the Empire,largely due to the ruthless use of Imperial
Agents who suppressed a planned Invasion in the
Outland Gamma Sector,a planned Rebellion,and an
Usurpation attempt.

A promising General was assigned to the Aquila
Monitoring Force & The general feeling of Pacifism
that prevailed Galaxy wide which aided the Empires Psi
Forces in converting break away systems back to
the Imperium.

The most startling stroke of luck for the Empire was,
however the collapse of the Perseus Alpha Republic.
The Republic long paralyzed by political division
dissolved into chaos & its forces reverted to rebel
units.The Irony of the removal of the objective
of Bel-Rosie Campaign within a year after
his own down fall must remain a cautionary note
to all set plans.

--The Encyclopedia Galacticia
Vol XXXIV-Cleon II,The Crisis years


Imperial War Ministry,Trantor
Galactic Year 2096

Gentlemen if you will please come to order,thank you
Officers..Lord Broding I am pleased to report some
progress after the initial 5 year efforts to preserve
the Empire.

The Persesus Alpha Republic is no more & although
Intelligence reports it has managed to restore
a systems government it's former Forces have
gone rogue.The Confederacy still has taken no action
but is building up its forces.The Outland Kingdom
is still occupied in its attempted conquest of Outland
Eta Sector.It has however brought an Alpha Fleet on
line so it must be watched carefully.We are currently
planing an attack on it's home world if they remain
occupied in the Eta Sector.

In short they are just potential threats
rather than actual ones.

True the Invaders returned from the Great Rift &
destroyed the Freehold Sector but that has been
avenged by General Ixion who has destroyed the
Invaders.We do have another pirate force out
in the Periphery Psi Sector but its too small
& too far out to be of concern.

As for the various Rebel Forces,none have taken
any hostile action against us.

I can with some confidence project that as new
Sectors are added to the Empire we should regain
all the ground lost.This is the Goal of our next 5 year plan.

Lord Bording I trust this will satisfy his Imperial Majesty
that his will is being carried out.

Baron,I shall convey your progress to the Emperor,
I am sure the nature of his satisfaction will be conveyed
to you.