It was in the time of diplomacy--before the outbreak of rebellion...

In one of the first efforts to work together as allied species, an expedition comprised of TEC, Advent and Vasari ships was assembled to investigate a newly discovered binary star system.  What was of primary interest to all parties was the potential riches within these systems--though scientific discoveries were no doubt waiting to be made as well.  Mass readings showed that the twin suns were surrounded by phenomenal  numbers of orbital bodies and their were numerous stable trojan points throughout their orbits. It was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate that inter-species greed and suspicion could be set aside in the name of new-found peace and that an inter-species alliance could work and share wealth and resources rather than go to war over them.

The TEC corporations provided the expeditionary fleet in order to allay fears that Advent or Vasari advanced technologies might be leveraged to gain an upper hand.  It was also notably true that neither the Advent or Vasari desired to open their vessels to members of other species.  Yet the promise of riches was too great to prevent cooperation.  The wealth of two stars bloated with orbital mass enriched, churned and broken open by gravitational forces of the stars and their massive shepherding gas giants was just to inviting.  No faction could resist.

Upon arrival at the first sun--a Yellow Star dubbed the Lacuna Coil--it was discovered that navigation within the systems was going to be extremely hazardous.  In fact, the astrogation teams aboard were so astounded at the complex orbital interactions and the sheer volume of astronomical bodies that they referred to it as navigational soup.  Military commanders accompanying the expedition immediately perceived that fleet actions would not be simple and great care would have to be taken in moving forces.  Phase jump trajectories were complex and multidimensional and locking onto proper jump coordinates was often difficult.  So muddied was the orbital architecture of the twin suns that some bodies were simply not safely accessible at all and others could only be reached via the adjoining twin sun--not the one where the planet actually orbited.  Wormholes abounded--many one way or unstable--so deep exploration was extremely dangerous. After a brief survey, it was determined that the more distant sun--a red star--possessed the greatest exploitable orbital mass as well as many more stable phase and hyperspace pathways--many leading back to the Lacuna Coil itself. It began to look as if the expected riches were within reach and the stunning vistas of the Lacuna Coil and it's Distant Sun now held scientist and trader alike in thrall--greed had them staring spellbound.  And it was at the dead asteroid named Spellbound that it all began to unravel.

One of the primary financiers of the expedition, the TEC mega-corporation Weyland-Yutani, announced that one of their scout forces had just found safe ingress to the distant red sun.  All factions packed their gear, boarded their ships and followed the Weyland-Yutani scout through hyperspace to the barren rock Spellbound--orbiting close in to the distant red star and surrounded by close to a dozen stable wormholes.  It was while enroute that all vessels of the expedition experienced a rapid and completely unexpected degradation of their ship's computers.  If the transit had taken just a few more seconds all vessels would have been lost.  The expedition vessels arrived with all survey and navigational data wiped from their databases and upon exit from hyperspace, messages were received by all groups from their camps left in the Lacuna Coil system.  They were being bombarded and the forces bombarding them were Weyland-Yutani siege  craft. In horror, the captains of the other ships noted the fortified base who's doorstep they had just landed on. A fleet led by a Weyland-Yutani capital ship began to open fire.  One TEC corporation had been consumed with greed and under its spell had planned a full betrayal. There could be no witnesses...no survivors.

Here begins the testament to the skill and preparedness of the scientific and military groups that had worked together to create the expedition at its start.  With a complete collapse of trust, each side struggled regain control of their ships and plot escape vectors through nearby uncharted wormholes--hoping and praying they led somewhere survivable.  Even as Weyland-Yutani shells tore into their shields and hulls they broadcast the data to all other ships and one-by-one they vanished through wormholes nearest to them--some successfully escaping and others stranded in uncharted space simply waiting for the end.

Now each  faction serves only itself and the potential wealth and glory of the glittering splendor and riches about them took hold.  None would share what was here.  It was precious and it was theirs.  All were spellbound.

NOTES

• The map is optimized for four players but is playable by up to eight. 
• FFA, 2v2 or 4v4 are all playable options.
• A ninth position is playable but not properly a "player" slot and a tenth player position is provided for an observer
• It is comprised of standard Sins world types but may be freely altered or modified as desired (credit please!)
• Unconnected systems are included (with only a minimal impact on performance) to allow for screenshots in any mod.
• Map is play-tested and extensively  studied for proper AI behavior, etc.
• Pirate bases (two) are included and integral to the strategy at start (and end too if someone doesn't clean them out).
• Plays long as an explore-build-conquer empire start.
• Starting positions must be competitively acquired at game start.

IMPROVED VERSION 2.0 SOLO-PLAY MAP IS  HERE