The ancestor of all 4x (expand/explore/exploit/exterminate) games.
VMS-Empire is a simulation of a full-scale war between two emperors,
the computer and you. Naturally, there is only room for one, so the
object of the game is to destroy the other. The computer plays by the
same rules that you do. This game is the ancestor of all the multiplayer
4X simulations out there, including Civilization and Master of Orion.

WWW: http://www.catb.org/~esr/vms-empire/