[Nyx]

I have never yet built an exploration ship. I build exclusively colony ships and I explore with them. I don't build anythign else until I get destroyer hulls. The AI loves to attack my worlds, which I enjoy because the first thing I build on each is a Small Weapon Platform with capital ship missiles. That ends up costing the AI a ton of early production. I tend to get a massive early lead on even other humans with this technique. I vary this, depending on how many colonizable worlds are in my starting system, by sometimes building a base shipyard or two early on. If I've got several good worlds I can get three shipyards (one on my homeworld, and two in space) cranking out colony ships. I like to put my homeworld on emergency build and that gets me a colony ship per turn for the first year. It's an insurmountable lead against the AI and slow humans. It's risky against humans who are aggressive early on. Especially if they know I'm going to do it.

In research, I go for Point Defense Weapons, armor (unless I'm playing with Crystal or Organic Tech), and boarding parties. If I have a special technology, I'll pick it up early on, often in the first couple turns.

[This message has been edited by Nyx (edited 29 December 2000).]