quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
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-Colonies
7. All large planets must have shipyards! This is key to your ability to respond to attacks with overpowering force. Where there are shipyards, build a resupply base also. Small planets are less likely to need a shipyard, but be sure they are built in numbers just behind the point of expansion.
7B. Consider using Emergency Build to build several Starbase Shipyards. This allows you to maintain several queues at the same point in space so you can gather up a fleet faster. While orbital shipyards produce much slower and do not get population or happiness modifiers, the fact that you can have several queues at one point is very useful. I will typically use emergency builds to build 5 of these over my home world. Then when my homeworld is on Slow for 10 turns, I scrap its shipyard for the minerals and build something like a Mineral Faciltiy. Your homeworlds percentages are to valuable to waste a Facility on having a shipyard. Do not keep shipyards on planets that you want to maximize resource production.
Also, if you are worried about the maintainance cost of these orbital shipyards, remember you can mothball them when you don't need them. However, the queue is in statis while mothballed as of 1.19 so you cannot use up the slow turns while mothballed.
quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
8. I have yet to see my own defense satellites and weapon platforms on planets put to good use. In the event of a stray light cruiser or two, fighters are better than defense platforms or satellites.
8B Satellites and Weapon Platforms are extremely valuable in a Strategic Movement/PBEM game with aggressive human players. A defenseless planet can be wiped out by one Uranium Cannon Escort. Units do not have maintainence costs (at lest currently, many are lobbying for them to change this). Weapon Platforms are extremely tuff because they have a special Large Mount at 200kt that ships do not benefit from. Also weapon platforms cannot be specifically targeted, I think there is a change that any planetary hit goes on the platform instead of population.
Satelittes are only good with Strategic combat because they clump together on one side of a planet. However, they can shoot missles and do not require supplies. Missle ships (common in the early game) cannot target Satelittes, so they will need Direct fire or point defenese against these).
quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
-Exploration
2. Make peace with aliens as soon as possible. If you make a treaty, though (aside from non-intercourse), realize that their colony ships might just start colonizing your systems around the edges.
Note: treaties are costly for Nuetral and Bloodthirsty races. However, Nuetral recovers happiness 250% faster.
quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
-Ships, Satellites, etc.
1. Build ships to the latest tech (of course). I found that missles are the most useful and powerful early in the game (and even later, after introduction of Point Defense, to a lesser extent). Phased-Polaron beams become the beam weapon of choice until technology catches up with them. Mix these two types of weapons.
Be careful to examine cost effectiveness. Some weapons go up faster in cost than they do in proportion for damage. Range does matter much if your advantage (range differential) does not exceed the enemies combat movement rate. A typical beam ship moves three per round, so a range advantage of 3 or less does not buy you much!
quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
4. Build troop ships! You will need them to capture enemy worlds intact (although I hear they surrender a lot, sometimes that takes time). Build the ship in a system with lots of colonies, and build the troops at the other colonies, then you run around picking up the troops. Similar building strategy for carriers and fighters.
4B Consider ship capturing (population transports) as an alternative to invading planets. Sometimes -20 or -50 on ground combat gives you the points you need for something more important. Troops take a bit of research.
quote:
Originally posted by PeteB:
5. Colony ships should have some cargo components. Put as many as possible (not much) and up your new colony's size and productivity.
5B Colonly ships should move as fast as possible. Getting there one turn earlier has a big benefit in resources down the line. Max out the engines and use whats left for more cargo (1 spot, I think). Remember, you will use up this ship.