Tried the search but couldnt find much. So last night we finished a game of twilight and it got me thinking that not many people in our game group have completed the secret objectives that require you to capture mecatol rex.

Our game last night was a perfect example why. One player had two warsuns leading a pretty big fleet and he took mecatol rex. When it was obvious that he had some objectives the discussion quickly turned to how we could stop this player since he was in a 3 way tie for the lead already.

The other players then proceeded to gang up on him and almost completely aanihilate him to the point that he withdrew his warsuns and went on to do other things.

It just got me thinking how one would go about completing the secret objectives that require you to hold mecatol rex. Not only do you have to take it, you have to hold it for a turn so that you can build a space dock on it. It just seems that if a couple of players are determined to stop you wont be able to hold out long enough to get the points.

Just wondering what everyone's general strategy entails for this situation. I usually just focus on other things, but I'd really like to patch this hole in my game.

I think it's a question of working the out the balance of when it is worth the other players' while to get you off Mecatol Rex, and when it is not. One solution might be to grab Mecatol Rex early on when A: you're not in the lead, and B: even if you completed an objective you wouldn't be too close to winning. You could then leave other objectives for later on. The end game is always going to be tense, and people will work out (and be able to work out) who is about to win, and then gang up on them. If you take Mecatol Rex early you won't be too much of a threat, and people will be reluctant to put themselves at a disadvantage from the outset by starting a war with you. If you take Mecatol Rex towards the end, as part of a race towards victory, you leave them no choice but to attack.

Thrashbarg makes an excellent point about when to make your move on MR. Go when you aren't winning - ideally when the VPs you get will at best tie you for the lead - that way people are less likely to gang up and beat on you.

You can't disguise why you're going to MR. Most of the secret objectives have to do with it, so while other player may not know exactly what you're up to there, they know you're going for VPs. If you're already in the lead, this is a direct threat to other players, but if you're trailing behind it's not that much of a concern.

If your objective happens to be one you can prepare for ahead of time (having X many ships and Y GFs on the ground), you can always build up as much as possible before making a run at MR, and then you might only need to hold it for one turn. If your objective is one that requires you to stay there and build, then you've got it a bit harder, but the same logic about VPs applies.

Another idea would be to wait until the more aggressive players are engaged with each other so they maybe can't afford to send ships at you. Again, as long as your current VP total doesn't make you an obvious threat, they may not be prepared to set aside their own differences to attack you.

You can also try negotiating with some of the less hostile opponents (if there are any at the table.) They help you hold MR by covering certain flanks, you return the favour later (or buy them out with TGs or whatever it is they want.) There is a political aspect to Twilight Imperium, and it can be used in some very creative ways.

If all you need to do is hold MR for a turn or two, SCs like Diplomacy (or is it Dip II?) can help by forcing other players to put a CC in the hex (so they can't attack it.)

If all of the players at your table take the position that anyone occupying MR must be immediately attacked and forced to withdraw then there probably isn't much you can do. Maybe the political aspect will help, but maybe it won't. That isn't really a fault with the game, though, that's just how your friends are playing it. If you're playing Monopoly with someone who absolutely refuses to ever trade properties because they "know you're up to something" that isn't really Monopoly's fault that you're missing out on the trading portion of the game.

Massive Transport.