[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Yes, I have many fond memories of that game too, though now Sword of the Stars has replaced that game, for me. There may be no Antarans, but I do get visits by the System Killer, Slavers, and Von Newmann machines who eat all my ships and spawn new ones right there.

I've found the Slave Warriors surprisingly effective, at least against certain independents. Still, 10 deaths is 120 gold... I took down three or four provinces with 40 of them. Not quite certain how they didn't all die on me, but I suspect it had to do with their extra 'bite'. If you're facing mostly light infantry, militia, and archers, 40 Slave Warriors can take down several provinces before they need to reinforce. If some farmlands in the area, it'll pay for itself. I just put them at the back of the field, and hold-attack. Gives the enemy forces time to spread out, and most indie archers too long to fire accurately. They're less likely to run, and are faster than the rest of your early forces.

My starting strat still needs work. My most recent game - which I may still win - I only had eight provinces by around the end of the first year. Advice is welcome. I set my pretender to a Scorpion King, fire and earth approx 5 or six, dominion around the same, and 2 order, 1 productivity, 2 heat, 1 luck, 1 death, 1 magic. Medium random map, one ulm standard easy opponent, rare random events. Going pretty well against the low-level AI, and I'm getting familiar enough with the basics to start seeing more and more of the big picture and better cost analysis of the situation. Realizing that such and such move costs me more than I gain, etc. etc.

Any advice for avoiding curses on my big bad pretender? It seems like it has 100 precision, 50 range, and no MR resist roll.