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I'm completely stumped. I'm trying to play the last mission of the ToA Campaign, Conflagration. The problem is that you start out losing over 300bc per week thanks to the lovely, but costly fleet of Arnorian craft that you're given at the start. I've tried just waiting it out, hoping my population grows enough. I snagged two economic treaties, etc, but I just get deeper & deeper in debt, can't build anything, etc. I tried buying outright a few constructs and transports, and that sort of worked. The problem with that strategy was that there's two planets...Dut'roth and Du'troth. The latter is the one you're after. Guess which one I wasted my two transports on? I can probably do the mission again (on simple, btw, because otherwise my starbases don't last long enough), aiming for the right planet this time, but it's kind of ridiculous. I feel like I must be missing something. I started off with max econ and population growth, spending my last point on creativity or soldiering. I'm using Federalism for more economy, although I also tried Universalist for the population growth. Anyway, how have others handled this mission?
Comments
on May 10, 2008
Waiting for your economy to grow will cause some big troubles with the dreadlords. Believe me. i tried it. ok it worked but it took ages and wasnt funny.

I can only advise you to try again and aim for the right planet. (happened to me too)
on May 10, 2008
Um..., You're not going to like this, but that mission you're describing isn.t the last one...  
on May 10, 2008
The only way I've done this mission is the bee-line rush. Totally ignored building up planets (i used colony ships instead of constructors) and also took the +range modifier in the beginning.
on May 10, 2008
Um..., You're not going to like this, but that mission you're describing isn.t the last one...  


Heh, that's fine. I enjoy the campaign missions. They force me to play differently than I usually would, with a concrete goal (as opposed to build up, then squish people    )
on May 10, 2008
The only way I've done this mission is the bee-line rush. Totally ignored building up planets (i used colony ships instead of constructors) and also took the +range modifier in the beginning.


Huh, I hadn't thought of colony ships, but that might be good, too. I can see the pro/cons of that.
on May 12, 2008
Ya, the pro is that the AI isn't as fast to send troop ships as it is to blow up constructors.

The con is that you need to find uninhabited planets. That con is a PITA though btw unless you get lucky with some Creativity procs on Life Support techs. I had to declare war on the Alterians to sop them from getting a planet lol.
on May 14, 2008
Try trading a couple of the smaller Arnorian ships for one of the farther planets. Really extends your range and helps the econ too. It seems to be working for me but haven't finished this try yet.
on Sep 12, 2009

I just completed this mission and will share with you how to do it.

Step one (fleet and finance organization):

Decom your mining ship and scout, and put your Anor Dreadnaught, Battleship, and one Crusier in a fleet.  Set your spending down to zero, and 'buy now' a transport ship.  Set your surveyor to 'automate' (and hope it finds a lot of money)

Step two (setting out):

Now send your two fleets to as far right as they can go (don't worry about your other two Crusiers, they will be used as bartering chips).  Once your Dreadnaught fleet reaches the far right, contact the Altarian Resistance, and offer to exchange one of your Crusier for one of their worlds (and some credits if they will allow).  The planet I obtained was Irug 'I.  Estaenp'n is also a good choice.  Now you should have two zones of 'life support' on the map.  Your fleets can now travel the dead zone between them.

Step three (getting to the right):

Hopefully your funds will hold out (but if they aren't doing so well, don't worry too much).  Send your Dreagnaught fleet over to the right, and after it's near the upper boarder where Irug 'I will let you venture, offer to trade your other Crusier to the Altarian for another planet.  Aw'ess'il is one of the best to choose, though Ar'ther isn't bad either.  This system will put you two systems over from where Du'toth is located.  Once my transport / colony fleet got close, I sent the colony ship to colonize Ing'inay, which is probably the closest planet next to Du'toth.  It was still uncolonized when I found it.

Step four (fight):

Now that you're here, the only thing left to do is to attack Du'toth with your Dreadnaught fleet to remove the  ships, and send in your one measly transport to conquer the world.  They only had 87 defenders vs. my 1000 attackers.  I had 470 remaning but I won the fight, and the mission was over.

Note:
Don't confuse Du'toth with Dut'oth - they are two separate worlds, and Dut'oth is more to the left than Du'toth is.  First time throgh, I found Dut'oth and thought, "Hey that's it!" but no, it isn't.