I was just thinking about this very scenario in the warm, fuzzy afterglow of a successful conquest of an enemy star system. I must admit, what exactly are the options of the defeated? Or are they defeated? I read a very fitting quote, that Jay may find amusingly accurate, on a blog that read: (paraphrasing now) “The thing about NP is, you lose in slow motion.” So calling someone who’s about to be devoured having already “lost” the victory or second place seat is arguable.
However, I just won a spectacular war recently with almost as good role playing. The enemy had almost 30 or more stars than me, heck, I’d even argue 40. He was a beginner player though, and I had a strong and trusty ally. The result? I won.
Interestingly to my notice, I find that if I had been battling a seasoned player, I would have lost. Period. I made all of about three errors in my strategy, but even if there’d been 0, a seasoned player is psychologically prepared for the harsh turns NP can bring in just one carrier’s misplacement or defeat.
Also striking, if not more so, is that if I had been in the same position I was way back when I first started the game, or even when I got my premium, I’d have given up the whole battle for lost and said “there’s no hope”.
Skill is necessary for fleet movements. Never discredit some wily foe from somehow rising from the most dire of positions to sow destruction in your stars with his fleets. I recall Dreams, who I believe had a win of like 200 victories or something, managed to outwit me with hysterical ease, me being a novice fool rather than a veteran fool, and become a prime power in that game.
Nevertheless, the truth is exactly as xMolotov puts it. There’s a threshhold level of empire size and advancement that all but ensures defeat for the lesser. Be they a seasoned and skilled player, a novice or incompetent, or anything in between, there’s nothing you can do about that 2K ship count difference. You’re dead. The question is though, like xMo pointed out, exactly how hard do you want to be put down?
Some of my best battles are the one’s I’ve lost. I felt invigorated the first time I sat at that screen and almost hit “concede defeat”, then stopped and declared “No! If they want my stars, then they can take them over my race’s dead body!” I got to have fun, made new friends, got shiny sticker, and a healthy dosage of confidence.
And more importantly, I enjoyed the game more.