Strategy Guide in the Archive

[Dubious]

Thank you for the offer, capt_spoogy. I try to clean up the typos and such that I find, but another set of eyes is always appreciated. The mind often reads what it expects instead of what's actually there if it's close enough. However, since the guide is still being updated so often (about every other day at this point; I want each revision to be worth the download) I think just pointing out the places where you find problems would be best, and I'll make the changes in the "master copy". Just give me a string I can search for should be sufficient, though the name of the poster and the date or topic in the guide should pin it down decisively. Anyone else who wants to point out things which need correction, don't ask ... just tell me. Bear in mind we aren't trying to "clean up" what someone said, just make sure it's understandable. Minimum editting.

Once the guide has gotten a bit more complete I was going to ask if someone wanted to make an HTML Version. While there's no objection to a Word Version, not everyone has Word, or even the free "Word Viewer". But everyone using the web has a browser. And there is no reason we can't have multiple formats if someone is willing to make the conVersion.

[Dubious]

The "SE4 Dubious Strategy Guide" is an editted compilation of threads from the forum. It is a "work in progress". The zip file in the "Space Empires: IV - Modding and other Help Tools/Information" archive has been updated (same name: SE4 Dubious Strategy Guide).

Revision 15 Apr 2001: Added new topics: "AI Behaviour"; "Projecting Your Influence" with subsections on "Fleet Operations", "Mine Sweeping", "Boarding Parties", "Capturing Ships", "Taking planets". Add to topic "First 50 Turns" new subtopics "Facilities", "Colonies", "Ships, Satellites, etc" (including color code for the sensor level Nebulae obscure), "Intel-CI", "Research Strategies", "Remote Mining", and rearranged some postings to them; rearranged some postings to topic "Beginners tips" and subtopic "Exploration". Also started adding in MM site Q&A to the beginning of appropriate topics.

[PsychoTechFreak]

Dubious, first of all: good job !

if you update the strategy guide, could you change the nebulae obscuration color code, please, cause I have observed the data files once more and have noticed that cyan and violett nebulaes also obscure to level 3, small sector storms do the same.

Summary , ver 1.35 compatible:

Cyan, violett, orange/brown nebulaes and every small storm:

Obscuration to level 3 , ability to scan with level 3 sensor, e.g. Tachyon Sensor II

Green nebulaes:

Obscuration to level 4 , ability to scan with level 4 sensor, e.g. Tachyon Sensor III

Red nebulaes:
Obscuration to level 5 , ability to scan with level 5 sensor, not yet available (w/o mod)

Remark: Cloaking is still buggy with "omnipresent view of all systems", scanners have no function at all with omnipresent view, you can't even detect not-cloaked satellites if they just have a cloaking device in it.

[Dracus]

here is another little tip:

A way to help protect your homeworld or any planet for that matter in addition to using sat's or wp's is to add some mines in orbit. Whiles mines are only good for ships entering orbit. They have been very effective to prevent the loss of one of my major planets. A fleet moves into to glass the area, they run into mines and take some losses. Then in the attack you mop up the remaining ships. The down side is that if a ship get damaged to were it can't move and you have no way to attack it then the planet become blockaded.
To keep re-supply the mine field, either use a base with a SY and mine laying bays or keep a cargo ship in orbit with a couple of mine laying bays building mines on the planet and loading them to the ship after each attack then you can re-build the field. To protect the ship, when battle starts, just move it behind the planet out of attack range. but behind the cover of your planet defenses.
Of course this all is somewhat useless if they send in penty of mine sweepers.
(if you use strat rather then tach then most of the time you will lose the ship since it will run to the corner to die.) But sometimes the mines take out all the attacking ships ant you don't have to battle.

[This message has been edited by Dracus (edited 20 April 2001).]

[Marty Ward]

Mining planets also usually produces a suprised look on a human opponent, the first time After that they get smart but that means the minesweepers must enter combat and you have a chance to take them out.
The best thing about using mines as a planet defense is every planet can produce them. They don't take up much space so you can keep them in storage until the enemy appears and then launch them. They are really good when used in conjunction with fighters.

[Dracus]

How about this against a human player?
Put a small number of mines on A WP then the sectors all around it put a few mines. They will come through the Wp hit the mines and then send in a mine sweeper clear the WP. when they move their fleet from the WP out into you system, they hit some more mines. They will get so freaked about were you may have placed mines. Or sneak into their system and drop mines either in the shipping lanes or out around one of their planets. What a suprise they will get.

(hope no one reads this that is in a game with me. looks around...)


[This message has been edited by Dracus (edited 21 April 2001).]

[Dubious]

Thanks for the additional ideas folks. Along with some others currently on the board they'll be in the next revision, which should go up late Sunday evening. I've included all the Q&A from the MM page, and now I just have to go thru the remaining threads I have saved to be sure I have covered everything.

After that it should be only new stuff from now on. (Sorry about the delay, I've had to work late all week.)