Originally posted by Anthony:
If 'major battle' means 'has taken out an enemy world', that's already proof that Esperanza is somewhat overpowered.
Anthony,
Yes, Esperanza can take out either Sb
or Nc
once. Given TCS' repair rules and construction rates; not to mention the delay in using captured starports, the effort Es exerts to take out either Sb or Nc will leave her open to counterstroke she cannot resist.
With most of her expeditionary fleet destroyed or damaged within the system she just captured, another opponent or another fleet belonging to the original opponent can easily send her packing. Unless left alone for upwards of a year, Es will lose Sb or Nc to the first fleet that comes knocking.
[/qb]That's not to say that Esperanza is guaranteed to win; I wouldn't say that at all. However, is Esperanza harder to play than Nc and Sb, both of which have to deal with her? [/QB]
Yes. First and foremost, she had no good chance at gaining allies.
As a wargame, TCS resembles
Diplomacy more than an eight-way free-for-all. Neither Sb or Nc will ally with her for fear of being swallowed once the alliance achieves it's goals. She can approach the powers on the other side of Sb and Nc; New Home, Neubayern, and Joyuese, but they too will only remain allied for short periods. No power, no matter how far from Esperanza, wants her to gain control of a starport/world long enough to use it to imporve her TL.
Second, she has a big punch - despite having to spend for the tankers and fuel depots the other powers don't require - but that punch can only be used once. At great cost, she can take Sb or Nc, not both. Defending her conquest will prove even harder. As I mentioned above, no one wants Es sitting on a starport/world long enough to improve her TL
In many games, Es 'forts up' and 'nibbles' at the small fry. She grabs Zuflucht and Herzenlust, annoys Sb off Gloire, maybe pokes into Orphee a bit. If given the time, with each time small fry 'conquered', she lifts SDBs and monitors into the system to improve her defenses and keep her jump2 expeditionary fleet free for other potential operations. If given the time, she can fort up pretty well and maybe knock off a weakened Sb or Nc in midgame. Es is rarely left alone however.
Sb and Nc usually ally in some combination against her. That alliance runs the gamut from full invasion to 'tooth pulling'; i.e. constant small strikes to wear down Es' force levels. The other powers usually enter the picture too; a Serendip-Neubayern alliance or a New Colchis-Joyuese alliance for example.
I keep bringing up
Diplomacy as an analogy. You can study the
Diplomacy system too and determine that the two 'Witches'; England and Turkey, are powerful. When you play the game however, the reality is very different. Because all the other players know about the 'Witches', they take steps to contain/control them thus making playing the 'Witches' very hard indeed. The same holds true with Esperanza.
She can win, or prosper,
if she is left alone. However, none of the other players will leave her alone for that very reason.
Esperanza is a paper tiger with a heavy punch she can use but once. She needs to bide her time; if she's given any, and very carefully judge when to throw that single punch. She'll very rarely get another chance and she'll very rarely have the time to repair/construct a second one.
Have fun,
Bill
