A Von Neumann machine is a machine that can reproduce itself. It has been proposed that these machines could be used to explore the galaxy and even the universe. At each planet they come to they would produce more copies of themselves, and launch them into space to explore and produce more copies of themselves. Their numbers would grow exponentially.
What if such probes mutated somehow? They stopped exploring and started devouring everything. A handful of these machines would travel across the vastness of intergalactic space. They would be strong, each one with five modules, larger than even battleships. The fleet wouldn't seek out military targets or care about borders. They would simply land on a world- whether that was a home world, an asteroid, a tomb world, or magma world- and begin producing more of themselves at the cost of every life, building, and feature on that world. The rate they produce more ships is based on the mineral value of the planet, but is much faster than empires or even sentient machines can produce. They have no need of spaceports or installations- all they do is produce more of themselves. They send out single ships until they meet resistance, and they start grouping their ships up into wolf packs of exponentially growing size. Even if you manage to defeat them it isn't over. Larger groups will come. The universe is infested with them. You will have to build massive intergalactic warp injunction devices to prevent them from crossing the vast blackness at faster than light speeds...but make no mistake- they will still come.
The strength of these monsters is obvious- the individual power of their ships and their numbers. I think an interesting mechanic could be that in each game they are spawned with random high end equipment on their ships. The machines then make perfect copies of this one ships design every time. A clever player could take advantage of this inflexibility to customize their ships to counter their ships. Another strategy could be to research debris from the Von Neumann machines and out tech them. A special tech could be to disrupt their friend or foe system so they attack each other. A devious player or AI might even create their own Von Neumann ships to use against their enemies.
What if such probes mutated somehow? They stopped exploring and started devouring everything. A handful of these machines would travel across the vastness of intergalactic space. They would be strong, each one with five modules, larger than even battleships. The fleet wouldn't seek out military targets or care about borders. They would simply land on a world- whether that was a home world, an asteroid, a tomb world, or magma world- and begin producing more of themselves at the cost of every life, building, and feature on that world. The rate they produce more ships is based on the mineral value of the planet, but is much faster than empires or even sentient machines can produce. They have no need of spaceports or installations- all they do is produce more of themselves. They send out single ships until they meet resistance, and they start grouping their ships up into wolf packs of exponentially growing size. Even if you manage to defeat them it isn't over. Larger groups will come. The universe is infested with them. You will have to build massive intergalactic warp injunction devices to prevent them from crossing the vast blackness at faster than light speeds...but make no mistake- they will still come.
The strength of these monsters is obvious- the individual power of their ships and their numbers. I think an interesting mechanic could be that in each game they are spawned with random high end equipment on their ships. The machines then make perfect copies of this one ships design every time. A clever player could take advantage of this inflexibility to customize their ships to counter their ships. Another strategy could be to research debris from the Von Neumann machines and out tech them. A special tech could be to disrupt their friend or foe system so they attack each other. A devious player or AI might even create their own Von Neumann ships to use against their enemies.
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