Check out the strategy articles:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=23;t=008452 web page by the current King ( Stone Mill the bad Elivs Impersonator). Lots of tips on early expansion.
IMHO:
The key is 9 or 10 one-turn Colonizers from home world on EB the first Year. Forget the bases, you get more bang for the bucks by using a moon or a small planet as spaceyards. And when leapfrogging: Don't use the best planet in the new system for the base. Go for a ****ty small one.
Edit: Why can't I get that link thingy to work
[ April 27, 2003, 00:24: Message edited by: primitive ]