[Pax]

Originally posted by Elowan:
High Griffin: your answer to my query begs another:

I have seen reference to Fleet Training using empty orbiting ships. In MOO2 - there are special facilities that can be built for such purposes. I haven't seen these (yet) in the Research queue.

Question 2: name a 'system-wide' facility. A Research facility perhaps?

Question 3: which now brings up another question. Does a Research Facility on a 'Ruin Planet' get extra points?

Question 1: Study Military Theory, and then Advanced Military Theory. You will become able to build Ship Training and Fleet Trainign facilities (in levels I, II, and III each). One each per world only, they add their level each turn to any an all of the proper unit type's "Experience" rating, to a maximum of 20% (more must come only from combat). You CAN have one of each on a world, in which case the fleet AND EACH SHIP INSIDE IT would gain the proper bonus.

Question 2: for example, "System Robotoid Factory" -- functions similar to a Robotoid Factory of similar level (I, II, or III) for every planet in that system, and ... it stacks with the single-planet-only Robotoid factory. Only one system-wide of each facility will work (though you CAN build more, to guard against losing the bonus if you only one catches an enemy fleet, for example). With both Robotoid Factory III and System Robotoid Factory III, that's a net +60% to each of Minerals, Organics, and Radioactives production. Since the System Robotoid Factory would affect worlds it is NOT built on, that is a very good use of one-facility-only worlds: boost the MANY-facility worlds in the same system.

Question 3: No. Ruins "pop" when the world is first colonised, giving you an instant, not to mention free, level of one technology field or another -- often a field you could not research directly. Then the ruins are gone.

One trick is, if you know of a Ruins planet in an area you cannot hold onto for long -- send a small (1M population) colony mission there. colonise the world, "pop" the ruins ... and then abandon the planet. You get the Ruins' tech, noone else does, and you leave no target behind to be shot at.