Quite unfortunate mistake, but I feel like you had a good chance to still come back from a missed Eco purchase. My whole gameplan was just beginning to unfold and so did yours most probably, should have made for a good fight. Let’s see when we meet next, it’s surely gonna be a challenge!
Boy … that’s a bummer to have the game end after one cycle … because while @FinrodFelagund is fairly new to 1v1, I’ve played against him and he’s really good … so I was hoping the up-and-coming “Rookie” was going to give the Wily Veteran @Trucriot a run for the money! 
I’ve updated the OP with the results … but if by chance @Trucriot would be willing to play a rematch (no obligation), let me know and I can generate another game.
@FinrodFelagund may be new, but is working hard on closing that experience gap 
In just a quarter he’s already played as many 1v1 games as I have in the 10 months since my 1v1 start (no 1v1 friendly yet). His future opponents will need to continue to watch out as he continues to soak up NP2 knowledge
Unfortunately I’ll have to skip on a rematch for the same reason I skipped the last two editions of my “own” LLL tournament - my current time constraints.
I agree with @Trucriot it’s my own mistake.
no rematch necessary I’ll just try to reach the later rounds of more tournaments again to get a rematch. 
Fairly happy to not have too many games going on anymore aswell, as this push in experience has certainly taken its toll with my own time being limited at the moment. It’s just not feasible to play more than maybe 2-3 games on a high level at a time.
Edit: @HULK thanks for suggesting though
Match 26 is just done, and I managed to edge out @wint3ermute - it was closely fought, and I was worried about my tech choices. I went for a Range surge to pick up various outlying stars which can be risky, but it worked this time. I got lucky on some early border battles as well.
Looks like I have @Trucriot next, gulp… maybe a slight pause before I plunge in…
Yeah, somehow it slipped my mind that Range2 can be researched early and can influence the initial routes and deployments.
Mirrored maps mislead me into thinking that if I am weak in some position that my opponent must also be weak at the corresponding position on his side. Somehow it is never the case and I run into a wall.
Congratulations @plug and good luck in you next games.
Congrats @plug, looking forward to our game. A pause before sounds good, I’m pretty much on one myself now as my country’s opening up for the first time in a long time - summer and football do the rest
Thanks for the update @plug and @wint3ermute - I’ve updated the OP with the results.
FYI @plug and @Trucriot that after discarding several possibilities, this game looks like it has potential - agreed? It’s waiting for 'ya when you are ready.
Thanks @HULK - that looks fine to me and I’ve joined the game - very happy for a delayed start however @Trucriot, as RL is a bit crazy at the moment.
Your game vs @Dysp seems terrifyingly even & delicately balanced. It is trench warfare, which happens sometimes.
There is a 2.5 LY gap at the narrowest. It looks challenging. You have to be careful.
That looks like the most inevitable draw I’ve ever seen indeed. Even the ship and tech numbers only have tiniest deviations.
Yea, that’s a serious stalemate @panblanco!
I’m in Alaska going fishing … so Internet access is in-n-out and probably NONE for the next several days … but seems like we should set you guys up with a new game. If you both agree, @Dysp has “super-powers” and can generate a new map for 'ya. Otherwise, I can look at things when I’m back.
LOL … I was about 400 miles away from the Epicenter when that Earthquake hit (did feel it it) and we were a bit worried about a possible Tsunami - see attached emergency notification from my phone.
And yes, that might be a SMASHING way to fish as it could stun the fish to the surface. We still slayed!
IMHO, stalemates are impossible in NP, because eventually players must play differently from each other.
Well, the defenders bonus makes it nearly impossible to break the stalemate (within a reasonable time frame) with locked weapons tech because when all border stars within striking range have 1500 ships on them, it’s virtually suicide to attack because you have to have an extra 500 ships for every assault. You can have a ton of variance in play and it still wont overcome that barrier.
I say reasonable time frame because eventually someone could theoretically gain an advantage, but I’m already growing tired of this game and it looks like it would take several hundred more ticks just to determine if someone might pull ahead…
As I said earlier, if @panblanco and @Dysp want to call it a draw, I’m OK with that … and yes, it does seem stalemated.
Wanted to see a few more rounds, but I feel the same way. We could play another 400 ticks and the situation would not change. Econs and researches are even and defender bonus is so huge that any attack would be a total suicide. @HULK @panblanco If we can get a very tight map with lots of small gaps on projected border, we might have a better go at it…