Hmmm I bet your real name isn't even GW Swicord either!!! 

                          vVvV Look finally got my 20 game medal. Thought I'd never get there

Uhmmm Geroge W???

*runs off before GW has chance to put foot to ass*

Ahhh, I think I can safely start up a new game finally without too much in the way of distraction. Here's hoping for an uninterupted ToA (immense) gaming stretch again. The only thing that concerns me is that these gall darn gaming hiccups are stressing me out .

Who knows, I may have to resort to playing large or medium maps again if this trend continues. 

GW, my game would freeze in Vista if I left it overnight too. However, I switched to playing in windowed mode (still looks like full screen though which is nice) and I don't have the lock-ups anymore.

Well said particlewave. I often find Galciv calming when life's stresses are mounting too. It can be a nice refuge...I think it's that way partially because every round you can accomplish concrete and discrete achievements whether colonizing a new planet, capturing a resource or whatever. I like accomplishing things and Galciv serves up a little appetizers throughout the game and, of course, a sumptuous repast when you finish a long game and do well.

Great job clanlindsey!

As a matter of fact, hats off to everyone and that goes out to a few of our more silent but active contributors as well.

Comforting to see our little empire still has a pulse.

To my fellow Gerontocrats,

It is with deep regret that I must announce that the General shall leave the lovely grounds of the Gerontocracy. The General has enjoyed both his time here and your company, and this decision was neither taken lightly nor is it any reflection on the Gerontocracy. To the contrary, you are an absolutely fine bunch. No, the sad truth is that the Kzin have made furious gains in the Metaverse and the General's blood-brother, Count Alejandro Montoya, has written and begged for his assistance in stemming the rising tide of fur and fangs. So the General rides to the aid of the Tyranny for the nonce. The General leaves you two gifts in parting however.

The first is the promise of reinforcements for the Gerontocracy. There should be much war booty to be gained from the struggle with the Kzin and when the General has mustered the necessary sheckels to purchase a second copy of GalCiv to secure three more combatants, the first of them is promised to the Gerontocracy. The second parting gift is a large bar credit at the Twilight Pub. If you visit the pub, all your drinks are on the General, and he has left a war chest of his secret battle strategies there for the Gerontocrats, including his top-secret strategy guide to million plus point TA games. The General shall post continuous letters to the Pub, for your benefit, updating his strategies as his experience grows in fighting the cunning and fearsome Kzinti. He shall also keep the Pub kitchens well supplied with Kzinti nuggets so the brave troops of the Gerontocracy shall be forever well-victualed.

Embird, ParticleWave, and GW...thank you for allowing the General to be part of your excellent empire. He humbly begs that you do not take exception to this parting and further asks that you accept these gifts with the seriousness in which they are bestowed. They are not made lightly. GW especially, the General truly understands how much you care about the Gerontocracy and sincerely hopes you will be understanding of the call to arms the General must answer. The General hopes that his collection of war secrets, bestowed freely and with pride upon you, are worth far more to the Gerontocracy collectively than the occasional foray the General musters here.

I salute you all,

General Jebediah Stormcrow

So long General Jebediah Stormcrow (CL). It was nice to have you in our empire, even if only for a short while.

Best of luck to you and your future endeavors. Heed your calling!

We now place a ceremonial rocker with the General`s name engraved upon it on our `Porch of Heroes`, as has been our custom in honoring past great gerontocrats gone MIA, with the understanding that no one shall rest their weary flea bitten tukis upon said rocker in the event that said hero may one day grace us with their return to the empire at some future date (or somethin` to that effect, basically we just nail the sucker down to immobilize it).

The war chest of secret strategies is much appreciated sir... we are eternally grateful for this wealth of knowledge you have seen fit to bestow upon us!

A single malt is in order... cheers to you CL! 

Thanks guys. My Drath strategy is posted for you at the Twilight Pub now. Good hunting!

@Embird: is your avatar a Jim Fitzpatrick or Mucha image? I like it.

She is called "The Moon Queen ".  Not sure who the artist is.

I've finally been getting in a few turns lately on the game I've been playing for months--my AltMeta rank is plummeting also. Part of my dawdling is a frustration hangover from losing several turns' work in a hibernation-related crash, but the bigger culprit is my excessive interest in the Elemental project. I'll be peeved with myself if I don't get my GC2 game finished sometime next month.

Well, my frustrating old game has become a whole new game thanks to the assassination event. I'd carefully built up an alliance network and arranged wars against the non-members with an eye towards coasting to an influence win. The crash interrupting that low-click ride was what put me off for quite a while, but now there's a galaxy-wide war going on because the leader that got assassinated while visiting my empire was one of my large group of allies. So now I'll need a lot more clicking to finish, but there's a lot more to watch.