Eclipse

After playing Eclipse matches with Kristen and Rob as well as Andy and Rachel in the past, we finally got together on April 28th to play with all of them at the same time. Turns out a 6 player game is very different from a 4 (or 2!) player one.

Rachel was the only one to choose Terrans, despite having first pick. Kristen lead the artificial intelligence life form of the Mechanema while Rob chose the riches that come with the Eridani Empire. Michaela went with the Descendants of Draco which are friends with the Ancients, leaving both me and Andy with our top choices - the scientists of the Hydran Progress and the fast growing Planta, respectively.

In an early surprise move, the Descendants of Draco took advantage of their relationship with the Ancients to cut off both, the Eridani Empire and the Hydran Progress from the galactic center, crippling their development. This enabled the Planta to expand mercilessly. With both, the Terrans and the Mechanema fairly passive, the first major battles ensued between the Descendants and the Planta. Despite the support of the Ancients that the Descendants of Draco enjoy, the Planta steamrolled the Draco sectors close to the galactic center and took the center itself to boot shortly thereafter.

Now both the Terrans and Mechanema got busy securing their sectors against the growing threat of the Planta, while the Descendants of Draco developed the Wormhole generator technology to invade the isolated Eridani Empire. Hydran Progress researched the very same technology in preparation of taking on the Planta, which turned out to be too little, too late: the expansion into the Planta sector - as well as cutting through it to the Terran sector - was just a drop in the bucket for the vast Planta empire.

The Mechanema had built the largest fleet ever seen, but hardly any shots were fired at their borders. The Terrans squeezed between the Mechanema and Planta lost further ground through a small fleet of Hydran Progress ships. The Eridani Empire spent all its energy repelling the Descendants of Draco invasion, which left the Planta as the unchallenged, dominating force in the Galaxy - well done, Andy!