Rule 1: Do not attack space cows
Rule 2: DO NOT ATTACK SPACE COWS
Rule 3: WHAT TERRIBLE FATE HAVE YOU WROUGHT? DO NOT ATTACK THE SPACE COWS!
I sat down to play Stellaris, I thought I was disappointed. Then I checked the time and realized it was 1 in the morning. This is addiction, this is crack, this is what happens when Alpha Centauri and Hearts of Iron have a bastard baby together.
I can't believe the game actually managed to make me feel guilty for something.
I had three Earth-like planets. I was boxed in along an arm of the galactic spiral by some peaceful hippy avians to the galactic northwest and some federation traders to the southeast. Through aggressive satellite constructions all of my domain was efficiently harvested, but my domain could expand no further. The pacifist hippy birds who I had spent so long with peace and mutual cooperation did not realize I was eyeing their multitude of Earthlike planets with envy - the naive bird people didn't even care for them, preferring desert roosts.
Lacking advanced weapons, or shielding, or armour, the humanoid navy was comprised of big fucking destroyers fitted with big fucking missiles, and two dozen corvettes and salvaged alien warships. The embassy to the hippies was withdrawn. After buying out their mineral reserves, trade was cut. When war was declared the avians sent only one diplomatic message:
'Why?'
Warfleet One struck quickly into the underbelly of the avian Empire, destroying orbital stations and military outposts alike, paving way for the planetary invasion force. With the first planet subdued, I assembled all of my warfleets to a research sector, leaving a clear open path directly to my capital open. The avians took the bait and their technologically superior fleet found itself caught between Warfleet One and the Unity Spacestation - destroyers rolling out of their docks and straight into battle to replace the grueling losses that were inflicted upon the human forces. By the conclusion of the battle of Deneb, most of the human fleet was destroyed, Unity Spacestation was a sneeze away from destruction - but of the avians, total annihilation was achieved.
When a reinvigorated human destroyer fleet arrived above their skies, they surrendered to avoid more bloodshed of their kin.
Their kin were superior in societal management, in scientific development and in war. They began forming a powerful faction for rebellion, sabotaging our facilities and spreading corruption throughout the planetary government. Resettlement was impossible, integration failed, to avoid facing total insurrection from the planetary level at a time where the earthlike planets were being settled, reaction was severe.
Their robot serfs and friends were dismantled. Their people were purged. Their once proud cities became empty bowls of dust.
The naive avians renounced pacifism that day.
What was supposed to have been a quick war to secure the Earthlike planets turned into a bitter feud between the avians and humans, the humans forced to pursue and exterminate ever-Westwards the fleeing refugees, as the superior avian Empire could not be allowed to recover and seek revenge.
Their survivors are in distant trails, outposts elsewhere - soon I will take their capital and begin pushing for their strategic resources, until only the farthest corners of their Empire gives them safety. Once they reach the borders of the great celestial Empire I dare not approach, I will leave them be. Their people under my watch will be sterilized and resettled until slowly, none remain - the end goal of purging is the same but now it is efficient. I may send their robot friends with them to comfort them in the end.
I look at the now formidable fleet of battlecruisers emerging from my spaceports, my first voidcraft carriers entering service, my colony ships now taking over the tropical worlds - I wonder if it was all worth it?