Starting tactics
 

I recently started new game and I have been constantly calculating the balance to expand, build defences and research in the first 50 or 60 turns. Because you can do only one thing at a time in your space yard, you have to choose between colonyships, defence (platforms, ships, satellites) and infrastructure (research, mining and intelligence facilities). How long can you fool your opponent that you have strong defences when there are nothing? Can you make him think you are just trespassing when asking permission to send 20 ships fleet through his system?

Of course it depends of many things (how many players, how close, how big galaxy, starting levels, etc.) but basically you can do something as follows:

1. Fast growth. Build only colonyships, space yards and perhaps few satellites for palnets to fool opponents of defence. Neglete research, intelligence and defence facilities. Gives superb base for fast military vehicle production, though short of resources will be a problem.

2. Early take over. Build only few colonyships to colonize your home system, make space yards and after that build a fleet of militaryships to take over nearest neighbor in "All or nothing strike". Extremely risky if failed, but successfully done gives you great leap forward.

3. Middle way. Build little of everything. Propably not enough to stop cunning enemy to take over at turn 40 (you have cunning neighbor 2 systems away who decided to gamble all or nothing) and may get you trapped if your neighbor claims all planets around you. Sure way to get yourself as "minor power" but propably keeps you alive at the beginning.

I believe most experienced players do as number 1 as long as they see the first signs of aggression from neighbour. Then they switch emergency build of military ships/platforms for defence and hope neighbour does not know the status of your military strength. I like the idea of choise number 2, though it would lead quick destruction if miscalculated the strength of your neighbour and I don't like to wipe neighbours at first. I prefer flourish through trade.

Number 3 is propably something newbies usually do. They colonize and fortify their home before expanding. Though, of there are little left for conquer by then.

I would like to start a discussion of starting tactics, their differences, flaws and advances. Like I described above, there are advances and flaws of either ones but what is the golden line in them. *Ahh...* playing against you humans is marvellous http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Starting tactics
 

Defense is for the meek. Keep the war in the enemy's territory. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

If you emergency build BSY/colony ships on the HW, you can build WPs during the slow build period, which is sufficient for small Groups of attackers in most cases. Or just mines, which will stop them better. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ November 27, 2003, 14:51: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: Starting tactics
 

In the early game I pretty much expand like crazy.
I normally put about 10 small mines in orbit of each of my planets with max warheads tech early on. This stops most early rush people who haven't had the expansion to invest in heavy research to counter them. Don't underestimate the power of the mine field in the early game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Starting tactics
 

Fyron is right. Defence never gets you anywhere in the long run. Early game it's purpose is psychological. To show enemy that it is not profitable to attack you and it would cost too much which would ultimately lead into smaller empire than other rivalries even if the war is won.

Minefield is good too. I always put some mines on orbit of every planet. But you don't get minefields very quickly and it has no offensive purpose os it is not the first one to research.

In PBW it gives you advantage if you know your neighbour's playing style (played against him/her before). Have any of you used this for quick take over?

Re: Starting tactics
 

What's your tactic at the beginning, do you emergency build BSYs or colony ships?

Re: Starting tactics
 

Build 2 BSY first. The planet then builds colony ships and missile scouts as nessesary.

Have the Two BSY E-build 3 more yards each before starting a colony ship to spend their slow time on.

At the end of the year you have 6 "Ready" BSY, and two more plus planet on SlowBuild.
You also have 5-6 colony ships or 10 warscouts en route to various destinations.

Re: Starting tactics
 

The fastest expansion: EB (1 turn) build Colonyships only at HW for the first year. Settle the closest moons and small planets with 3 or 4 of them very early, building Shipyards (and maybe a few Rad and Org facilities). These will be available in time to take over production of colonizers when HW goes to slow.

Also send 2 or 3 of your first colonizers on landgrab expeditions, leapfrogging a system or two to make a base for further expansion. When you find a cozy system, don't go for that big breathable but colonize a small useless planet first and make a Shipyard. First build for this should be another leapfrog colonizer.

Compared to the BSY model, you will have more building capacity (and colonizers) after turn 14 - 15. You will also be spread out more, having grabbed more systems for yourself. On the downside, you will be very vulnerable against the rush if you got baddies close.

Re: Starting tactics
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Mines should always be first (or very very early) in the research queue. There is no better early offensive weapon than the mine. A lone transport with supplies and a few minelayers can effectively seal of several systems. When you have got a few ships with the mines, most players will withdraw to safe space until they can sweep a full field. Which is expensive early with only small ships and low level sweepers.

Re: Starting tactics
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Both. I build as many BSYs as I can afford to keep paying to produce, then build the rest colony ships. Some new planets get SYs right away as well (usually not the first couple, as I try to get those to be resource rich to allow for much more expedient expansion; you have to pay for all those new SYs on new planets somehow http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ).

Primitive, you are being a little simplistic on the BSY model.... it comes in many variations. You can do all that leap frogging by starting with a few BSYs too, not just only colony ships.

[ November 27, 2003, 20:46: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: Starting tactics
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sure you can, only my way is faster http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Note: Conditions for the "no BSY" fast model to work is that there is 3-4 small planets/moons available in the homesystem not needed for resources and that game settings is no worse than default (medium planet, 20 000 min/org/rads). Anything less and you are going to run yourself dry.