Emperor Mode - Cal mission 7 impossible??

[Rwags22]

It seems utterly impossible to beat mission 7 on Emperor. I can't even get it to a fighting chance. Any hints? Is this level just not balanced well?

[{SLURP}Legion]

level 7 seems impossible to me on the lowest difficulty, they rush my base in the first 15 seconds not giving me any time to do anything other than take the left planet. if i take the top planet they just overpower me even with the radio tower, and if i take the right i have the same problem as taking the left where they rush me before i can fight back.

[Genghis Pawn]

Assuming "Cal" is referring to the Cardanian Campaign...
I'm having the same issue on Emperor mode. I've sunk around 1.5h into it, and I just can't quite figure out how to get a leg up. At best I wind up in a stalemate in those systems in the middle. There does seem to be a little randomness in how the AI acts, but not much, and I'm not sure how to exploit it.

It's not at all impossible on lower difficulties. A good, basic strategy that works on many levels (if you can't build a stock exchange on your home system) is to do nothing at first except send one unit to rush one planet (e.g., the left) and as soon as it falls under your influence, build a stock exchange. Then down the line, try to get a consulate you can use to shore things up.

[NeVa :)]

My way on this mission with the Emperor's difficulty has been...: 1) How say Genghis Pawn, middle left with a priest > wait on the colonisation > build a stock exchange; 2) I went on the upper planet with a merchant, artist and scholar, but the opponent stacked me, but I saw that he had been only two envoys on the downer system - that is my chance for the win! 3) I sent, I think, one artist and one merchant and I have taken this downer planet. 4) Now, I went on to the upper right planet (next to your new taken planet) with, I think, an artist and took it. I have this position on my screenshot (maybe I will post it later), and at this moment, You can play already more calmly, because the opponent lost the upper planet next to your home base and the way to the win is here...

I think, this little manual will not work anytime, it is, how writes Genghis, about the luck, where your opponent goes, but if You see only two envoys on one of those right systems, You have a chance to take it. The antennas are important for the win too, because, on the Emperor's difficulty, the opponent has many envoys, and it is the same reason why You will maybe need to send one (or two) envoy for the rescue your home base. But with the patient, I faith, You do it one time...

Have a calm day.

[Genghis Pawn]

Finally beat it! (On Emperor)

Here's a screenshot at the critical moment, and here's one a little later.

It definitely requires luck, but what worked for me was the following:

1. Send a priest to take the planet on the left.
2. Build a stock market on it as quickly as possible.
3. Send your remaining Artist, Merchant, and Scholar to the planet on the lower-right to try to take it -- this will get you another Merchant to use.
4. Build an Antenna as quickly as possible when you take it.
5. Delete the old Merchant that had been attacking the bottom-right planet, and redirect this Merchant + your newly-available Merchant to take the top-right planet.
6. Build an Antenna as quickly as possible.
7. On your home planet, build the building that gets you more Artists (forget the name)
8. Continue marching to the right.

You have to get lucky with what the AI does, certainly. If the AI attempts a Coup d'etat at just the wrong time, it can all go bad. I think part of the reason this works is that the AI sinks resources into sending units to the top-right planet, and then you attack the lower-right planet and it burns resources trying to protect it. I suspect the AI used all its buildings to support troops and never built a Consulate.

All this made me realize that there's one thing the AI never seems to do, which is delete units (and buildings). The key here is to take a planet, reinforce your influence on it with an Antenna, and then delete and recycle some units to press on. A good strategy to learn.

On to Level 8!

[Genghis Pawn]

Now the final mission of the Cardanian Campaign really does seem close to impossible on Emperor difficulty. I've spent multiple hours trying to crack it. It doesn't seem to be sufficiently skill-based for it to matter what I do. If the developer can consistently bear the final level on Emperor, I will eat my hat.