The Void - Tick 92 Cycle 4

 War with C++ has begun but after initial gains, the next battles may be more difficult.

As planned, I've nabbed two of C++'s stars and I'll take a third next turn. However, I haven't flipped any industry or science so it's a purely territorial gain against his soft border stars. The next stage will be much more difficult, I've spotted another powerful C++ binary, and from what I can see right now he has more industry than me, 19 to 17. I have four options from here:

a) Attack via Asteroid Field Nebula Most direct route but could be very costly if it turns out the Neb/AF is well-defended. High reward if executed successfully as it opens up paths to both the capital and the middle binary, and I can choose which one to go through. It also closes my own defensive lines at that part of the front (I have to defend 1 star now instead of 2)

b) Attack northern stars Fairly confident I can topple at least the closest two and then start to bring in more reinforcements from my northern stars. The mid-term plan would be to swing around to the south and come at the capital from the north, whilst exerting pressure elsewhere.

c) Focus on trying to win the Southern binary He's at war with Ikit Claw in the south and stretched. I'm more confident I know what's in this Nebula (very little) and plan C can become plan A (or visa-versa) I don't like the 14-tick jump into the Nebula and it'd take me 31 ticks to get there.

d) Consolidate and launch no further attacks yet. In this plan, I split my attacking fleet, accept I don't have the firepower to force a true breakthrough and wait for reinforcements. 

This is a tough decision, but I decide to go for a bit of a D/B crossover. I split my attacking fleet but in an imbalanced way sending 25 more ships down to hold the new pocket whilst sending 46 ships to the frontline along the route of plan B. This is a consolidation play but one that gives me options to turn it into plan B. I also start bringing more ships (33 more) down from off-screen to the far north.

I buy another new carrier and launch one defensive operation to cover my undefended Black hole and the entry to my southern territory. An incursion there wouldn't be a disaster but it'd be a bit of a pain and I don't want my front lines stretched. I've spent 65% of this cycles funds on the war effort, through Industry at locations on supply routes to the front line and new carriers but I'm committed to the fight now and need to make sure I can win it. The clock is ticking, my rivals will be expanding elsewhere and who knows what diplomatic trouble I could get myself into if I find myself stalled.

There is always a balance though, plan A offers me the most direct route but a failed attack could set me back cycles. I'm willing to move a bit more cautiously, but aggressively.

In some good news, I've found a super 150 NR binary tucked right at the back of my territory. It's too far from the front lines for any industry to influence the war but it should be an economy/science asset.