Newbie Strategy Guide

[PeteB]

Ok, what I was looking for when I first hit this forum was a newbie strategy guide. Not the "How do Idesign killer dreadnoughts" type stuff but more of a "where do I begin" once the tutorial lets off. Now I have a little knowledge (A dangerous thing) and I'm starting the thread myself, so there!

I fully expect to have some of my uneducated comments overturned by more experiencd players, and I hope that you all will add to the list of Things to Remember.

-Facilities:
1. Resource facilities should be built in about the following ratios (depending on race); 10 : 1 : 2. Concentrate your resource harvesters on planets wiht high percentages for that resource. Later (with robotoid factories and such) it becomes important to have concentrated resource processing.

2. Resource Storage facilities should be built after the initial game start, once you've "topped off" your resources. These should be built to about 1/10th or more the number of actual harvesting facilities, but on low-resource planets. These facilities will come in handy when you switch several shipyards to "emergency build" to counter a threat. Resources disappear very quickly with 7-8 (or 20-25) fast building shipyards. They will be restocked, however, when those SY slow down.

3. Ignore the remote miner components. Ships with them are costing more in maintenance than they mine, satellites, while they have no maintenance, still need to be transported to the asteroids or uninhabited planets, and that is time consuming and nets little (you need to pay maint. of the trransport ship!). Save your mouseclicks.

-Colonies

1. Colonize compatible atmospheres as much as possible. When you hit a barrier though (such as several empty systems or systems with a black hole, other civ, etc), use that period to colonize non-compatible worlds. Do not even look at the resource percentages before colonizing.

2. Place colonies where there is a good resupply spot, especially when a planet lies squarely on the path between two important warp points, even if the atmosphere is incompatible. This will save time and effort down the road when moving ships around, so that they stay supplied.

3. Look for "ancient ruins" and other specials that give technology. This may seem obvious, but it is worth going a long way to colonize such a world.

4. Later, after you have captured other races, you will replace the incompatible races with compatible races on those planets colonized with the incorrect breathers. Do not sweat colonizing these places, but don't bother until you have the capacity.

5. Colony ships are tactical! send a few colony ships along with (well, just behind) your exploration ships and advancing fleets. You will need a forward resupply base desperately before you know it.

6. Do look at resource percentages after colonizing and use as your basis for what will be built. For low resource planets, research facilities in large numbers will eventually be needed. I found intelligence facilities to be needed only later in the game.

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.

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.

9. Move those people around! You have a homeworld witht he population maxed out to begin with. You cannot profit from growth on that planet unless you move the people off to other worlds. Colony ships start the process, but build a small transport or four to move the people from home to outer worlds. This will also make it easier to build colony ships on outer worllds and take the pop from them.

-Exploration

1. Build your largest available ship (up to Battlecruiser) with full engines and lots of supply components, and maybe a weapon or two, and the best sensor available. These are your scouts and explorers. Send them as far as fast as possible. Follow with colony ships.

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.

-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.

2. Ships can be upgraded, but are useless when being repaired, so upgrade in batches over many turns, and be prepared to have some ships out of action for a time. Delay upgrades until significant tech improvements are made, but beware! too expensive an upgrade is not possible.

3. I found old, obsolete escorts and frigates to be perfect candidates for "sensor escort" upgrade: the latest scanner technology, and point defense. They are plentiful (many built at the beginning of the game!) and Last to be targeted by the AI (which shoots the most powerful first). This saves space in capital ships (they can cut some PD and sensor spaces) and makes use of otherwise scrappable ships. Just make sure you always include one-two in each battle fleet.

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.

5. Colony ships should have some cargo components. Put as many as possible (not much) and up your new colony's size and productivity.

-Warp Points

1. Defend your side of important warp points! This is the place for satellites, fighters, and starbases (built by yard ships). Enemy craft appear in the middle of the area, intermixed with the defenders, so there are usually no long-range missle volleys, but short, brutal close range fights. Pack satellites or bases with the biggest beam weapon you have and lie in wait. This is better than defending world by world.

2. Put a scout on the far side of a warp point. If you can see the force coming you can bring your own forces to bear that much earlier.

All right, there's my suggestions. Any experts out there want to add!?!