Solo versus Bots - NIGHTMARE map/settings - 1v23

So per this IHG thread, I setup the ultimate 1v6 game by using custom coordinates to have a perfect hex cluster of (enemy) robots around my core. But then I got to thinking, what if I created a second hex cluster around that - D’OH! :wink:

So once I conquer one Robot, there are (fresh) enemies from all sides attacking me - the map looks like this:

Below is what the complete map looks like - because one can’t create a game with 19 players, I had to do 24. I was fiddling with the coordinates and the 2nd game I created had green at the middle … so I had to play that. These coordinates are:
[ [0,0],[-12,0],[12,0],[-6,10.4],[6,10.4],[-6,-10.4],[6,-10.4], [-24,0],[24,0],[0,20.8],[0,-20.8],[-18,10.4],[18,10.4],[-18,-10.4],[18,-10.4],[-12,20.8],[12,20.8],[-12,-20.8],[12,-20.8], [40,0],[-40,0],[0,40],[0,-40],[35,35]] … although maybe would be better to have those outlying robots in closer.

Update: To account for rounding in Range, here are “better” coordinates:
[ [0,0],[-11.99,0],[11.99,0],[-5.995,10.39],[5.995,10.39],[-5.995,-10.39],[5.995,-10.39],
[-23.98,0],[23.98,0],[0,20.78],[0,-20.78],
[-17.985,10.39],[17.985,10.39],[-17.985,-10.39],[17.985,-10.39],
[-11.99,20.78],[11.99,20.78],[-11.99,-20.78],[11.99,-20.78],
[40,0],[-40,0],[0,40],[0,-40],[35,35]]

Old timers will remember “nightmare mode” in the classic DOOM game … reminds me of that!

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Below are a couple of screen shots after 21 cycles which is 63 turns/504 ticks.

I started out pretty good and took out the AI to my left and then head down South between my two cores … plus even did some expansion to the North … But once I took the lead, the AI’s went hostile against me … and this is a LOT harder than the single cluster game because they come at you from all sides … and they’ve got a LOT of ships - truly goes feel like nightmare mode!!! The only thing saving my butt is that the AI’s end up running into each other as they converge on my stars … plus I’ve now got a 16-10 Weapons advantage.

It’s basically impossible to hold all your stars … so I’ve been losing ground up North and per the 2nd image, it’s been status quo for a lonngggg time … although I’m making a push to the West and very slowly gaining ground there - warp gates are helping. It’s a real challenge to tip the scales in my favor, especially when you grab a star, and then yet another AI sends a buncha ships at 'ya.

I’m Green Circle - Green Hex controls the entire twin ring in the SW and (like everyone else) is attacking

Stars (hasn’t changed much) and Economy (losing my advantage) for last 150 ticks or so

So after another 64 ticks, the star count hasn’t changed much. I’m about to lose all my footholds to the North and East as the Robots there push against me and I’ve been sending all my forces to the West against Orange. Good news is I’m about to do a major HULK SMASH against him,and I’m at a semi-edge of the galaxy (finally!) so I can turn those forces around and take out the Green Hex in the SW.

Here’s the Star/Economy Charts

After 10 turns, the HULK SMASH against the green impostor resulted in his elimination! :wink:

The balance has tipped in this game and with many more stars, increasing resources, better weapons, and Warp Gates, I should be able to just keep moving around the galaxy counterclockwise.

Starting to climb in Stars and Resources …

Lol, you’re crazy… and insatiable!

Yea, totally outa control Myk … that’s what happens when I stop attending NP Anonymous … :wink:

So I finally finished the game - took 35 turns and 848 ticks - final screen map below and here’s the turn just before that showing the game time.

Needless to say, at the end I had an overwhelming infrastructure advantage plus Weapons 49 to 20 … although the AI’s combined still had over 2X my ships. The real challenge is in the mid-game when they first go hostile against you, and in this “double cluster” map, it’s a race to get an edge position without losing too much elsewhere. If there was yet another cluster of AI’s surrounding 'ya, that would be even harder.

As you can imagine, the AI’s didn’t give me any renown - HULK is a four-letter word in the AI world! :wink:

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