Newbie Question
 

When you start in your homeworld sector, do you put colonies on every planet, or try to find the best ones? In MOO it was more important to get as many planets as you could is this the case in SE4?

Re: Newbie Question
 

That is really up to you.
I personally colonize everything I can. Even if it is just to prevent someone else from using the planet.

Re: Newbie Question
 

Expansion in Space Empires IV is a little bit different than in MOO because the planets are in solar systems separated by wormholes. If you ask whether or not you should colonize every planet in every solar system before moving on to the next solar system, well, then obviously that would be a bad idea. Instead, you should constantly expand outward to new solar systems.

Strange though it may seem, your first new colony in an outlying solar system may not be the best planet since you'll need to build at least a Resupply Depot and Spaceport on that planet and may not want to waste facility space for those on a planet with really high minerals.

When you enter into a military alliance with another empire, this allows them to resupply at your Resupply Depots. This almost certainly guarantees that they will try to establish colonies inside your empire. So... once you have stopped expanding, you'll be sending colony ships to build colonizes on mineral rich and large or huge worlds. At the same time, you would be wise to build colonies on even moons that border another empire with whom you plan to enter into a military alliace.

BTW... colony ships in Space Empires IV are practically free compared to MOO/MOO2. Some players don't send out armed escorts and frigates to do their scouting. Instead, they send out colony ships. In MOO, you might not want to build a colony on a planet close to the enemy because of the risk of attack. Until you had built a certain industrial infrastructure on the planet, it wouldn't be able to build up defenses fast enough to defend itself. But in SEIV, a new colony can build its own defensive emplacements quite rapidly compared to a new colony in MOO.

Re: Newbie Question
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>When you start in your homeworld sector, do you put colonies on every planet, or try to find the best ones? In MOO it was more important to get as many planets as you could is this the case in SE4?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I generally colonize planets in the order of:
1) Strategic location
2) Value
3) Part of a claimed/colonized system

strategic locations include those planets:
-in a chokepoint system
-in a new border system (expansion & claim)
-having multiple moons (for shipbuilding)
-being near a wormhole (for defending against intruders)
-etc

Re: Newbie Question
 

SJ, just reminded me of something that has been determining my selection on homeplanet conditions.

Don't those who pick rock have a slight advantage given the fact that all (as far as I know) moons are rock. Granted this is an advantage that could be lost by the middle of the game, but starting at low tech with only one planet, before someone has the tech or research points to acquire rock colony quite a few decades can pass.

This really isn't a complaint on how things are (however I think realism could allow for ice moons); I'm just wonder if any of you think this gives much of an advantage.

Re: Newbie Question
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Menschenfresser:
Don't those who pick rock have a slight advantage given the fact that all (as far as I know) moons are rock.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually there are also ice moons (I usually play a ice-dwelling race). No Gas Giant moons, anyway (for obvious reasons of size).

Re: Newbie Question
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Menschenfresser:
SJ, just reminded me of something that has been determining my selection on homeplanet conditions.

Don't those who pick rock have a slight advantage given the fact that all (as far as I know) moons are rock. Granted this is an advantage that could be lost by the middle of the game, but starting at low tech with only one planet, before someone has the tech or research points to acquire rock colony quite a few decades can pass.

This really isn't a complaint on how things are (however I think realism could allow for ice moons); I'm just wonder if any of you think this gives much of an advantage.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Actually, many moons are ice.

Re: Newbie Question
 

Actually moons 'rock' (yeah, bad pun http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif). I almost always play with Rock no atmosphere, then I can take full use of moons everywhere, and later the Ice ones as well. For other breathers I just capture!

------------------
"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

Re: Newbie Question
 

Dark Star, what I like to do is get the as many colonies as possible within the shortest amount of time. I target any planet that will yeild 2 or more slots for construction. I then save 1 slot in every NON compatible atomsphere world for an atomsphere converter later. That way, once I get the production up and running, population grows, and when the time comes, I convert the atomsphers, and then scrap the converters, and my population is already in place, and I rocket from 6th place to 1st.

Re: Newbie Question
 

As an Ancient Race, I can see all the map. I pick the 39 most strategic locations on the map before I start a game. Generally they are 3-4 warp points apart so that any planet in any system is within range 50 of colonizing by my seed colonies. I build up the facilities and population on my seed colonies, then blitz attack/ expand about turn 120 when I have all the critical ship tech. The limit on seed colonies is about 40-45, after that the AI complain about your planting too many planets and go to war, losing trade treaties. This is not the Mega Evil Empire limit, that comes later.

If you are not an Ancient race, I do not know what to suggest. BE ONE.

Re: Newbie Question
 

I Usually build my 'Core Empire' (approx. 9 systems)first and defend all chokepoint w/ mines, sats or bases, allowing no other players to enter my space. Not easy sometimes.
When fortified I either research the other colony techs (or conquer them) and colonize all remaining planets in my Core Empire (I usually use Gas Giants but the many moons w/ spaceyards sounds good too http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif ), or I build Stealth colony ships and build up some colonies 'behind enemy lines'. This makes it really fun to crush the enemy from 2 sides. Latter is really easy w/ Devnull Mod.
While tearing the enemy apart the 'Colony Empire' slowly merges w/ the 'Core Empire'.

Might not be very effective and take up alot of ressources but it challenges some more (oops empire C just killed my colonies...). I also role-play alot, that's the most important reason.

After all, it might not be the best tactic versus AI but it rocks versus humans (well, at least one time http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif ).