New player struggling

[Andy Watkins]

Growltigga,

I presume you have the settings for AI higher than I do? I also got a game where I started with 3 large worlds and they were all in one system, the top left hand corner system of the whole galaxy, which made it easy for me to expand and protect my borders.

Didn't know about the right clicking on tech thing, that's exactly what I was looking for. Can you right click anywhere else useful?

What's this trading tech with AI stuff?? I just set up alliances that includes trade. Can you trade specific things?

Ooh and I retrofitted one ship before I won, seemed really good, much better than scrapping and rebuilding.

I had got right up to Battleship hulls though, do you tend to use cruisers? I noticed the AI seems to use mostly light cruisers plus some cruisers.

Andy


<<Well done, I have never won yet - the cats always beat me.>>

[Growltigga]

I presume you have the settings for AI higher than I do? I also got a game where I started with 3 large worlds

I generally play a large galaxy with medium AI, high difficulty and high bonus. Never started with 3 worlds so dont know what this does.

I also have my own AI house rules, I dont use mines or fighters against them, I dont do massed warp point defences, I always capture planets rather than glass them and I dont use weapon platforms on my habitable worlds (I keep the war in space)

Can you right click anywhere else useful?

this I dont know, I only found out on the tech screen

. Can you trade specific things?

Yep, same place as the propose treaty section, scroll down you will see the propose trade option which tend takes you to the place where you can pretty much trade for everything - I know, I managed to trade my wife for a new set of drills

much better than scrapping and rebuilding.

it is, it definately is

do you tend to use cruisers?

I have a strange view to this and build a balanced fleet. I have the current ships in my current game

9 destroyer squadrons (5 dd's each)
12 cl divisions (2 cl each)
9 cr divisions (2 CR's each)
6 bc divisions (2 bc's each)

4 sector fleets (3 BB's, 3 bc's 6CR 6 CL 8 DD's apeice)

1 home fleet, as per a sector fleet but 6 BB's and 3 DN's

have about 20 assorted transports, satellite deplouerrs, planetary assault ships etc

also have about 12 FG's and spy ships which I use for convoy escorts, spying,

[Andy Watkins]

Growltigga,

How many worlds do you have to support all this? At my height I had 20 or so worlds, though some were a bit naff. My fleet was entirely battle cruisers and battleships and still only numbered about 20 or so ships. I also use 1-2 fleet repair ships with each fleet, these having a repair bay and loads of supply modules. Do you do this or do you build supply modules and repair bays into your larger warships?

What use are the DD's in the later game? They just aren't big enough for anything are they? By the time you've added engines, shields etc will be very little space for guns...

Andy


9 destroyer squadrons (5 dd's each)
12 cl divisions (2 cl each)
9 cr divisions (2 CR's each)
6 bc divisions (2 bc's each)

4 sector fleets (3 BB's, 3 bc's 6CR 6 CL 8 DD's apeice)

1 home fleet, as per a sector fleet but 6 BB's and 3 DN's

have about 20 assorted transports, satellite deplouerrs, planetary assault ships etc

also have about 12 FG's and spy ships which I use for convoy escorts, spying

[Growltigga]

Currently, the Solar Federation has 16 habitable worlds and about another 28 colonies on non-breathable worlds - this fleet is just about breaking even on the budget

I dont use supply models on my big ships, they dont go far and the cruiser divisions are used for long range attacks, I go an enemy system and usew marines to capture a world with a resupply depot and then stage through that until I have quantum reactors which mean maintenance is less of any issue

DD's my boy are hard to hit and a swarm of these fellahs can stop BB's BC's or anything else, especially with the kind of defensive bonuses my chaps have, I also put quantum torpordoes on them - it also means I can keep my bigger ships focussed and use the DD's as screening vessels

Keep in mind that empire economic development is as crucial as military prowess - you could send a personal message to Tesco Samoa and ask him how on earth he gets to fleets if several hundred ships!!

[ 10 April 2002: Message edited by: Growltigga ]

[Andy Watkins]

Currently, the Solar Federation has 16 habitable worlds and about another 28 colonies on non-breathable worlds

THAT'S ABOUT DOUBLE WHAT I HAD BUT I WAS ON SMALL GALAXY MAP

DD's my boy are hard to hit and a swarm of these fellahs can stop BB's BC's or anything else, I also put quantum torpordoes on them

BACK TO MY WEAPONS QUESTION - WHY ARE QUANTUM TORPEDOES BETTER THAN ANTI MATTER TORPEDOES, OR STANDARD CANNONS, ARE THE FACTORS HIGH?

Keep in mind that empire economic development is as crucial as military prowess

I NORMALLY SPEND MORE TIME ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAN MILITARY. i GOT THE IMPRESSION PART WAY INTO THE GAME THAT TINY NON BREATHABLE WORLDS THAT COULD HOUSE 3 FACILITIES WERE LESS THAN USELESS. i NOW ONLY GO FOR BREATHABLE ATMOSPHERES BIG OR BETTER, I.E. 15 OR 20 FACILITIES......

SORRY FOR USING CAPITALS, DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THE FANCY BOLDING IN A MESSAGE THAT YOU DO!

ANDY

[Growltigga]

THAT'S ABOUT DOUBLE WHAT I HAD BUT I WAS ON SMALL GALAXY MAP

you did well then, the large galaxy map gives me room to breathe

WHY ARE QUANTUM TORPEDOES BETTER THAN ANTI MATTER TORPEDOES, OR STANDARD CANNONS, ARE THE FACTORS HIGH?

quantum torpoedoes are just the next evolution from anti-matter torpedoes in the torpedoes tech

they do do a lot of damage - enough to warm the cockles of your heart and they also dont get stopped by PDC

TINY NON BREATHABLE WORLDS THAT COULD HOUSE 3 FACILITIES WERE LESS THAN USELESS. i NOW ONLY GO FOR BREATHABLE ATMOSPHERES BIG OR BETTER, I.E. 15 OR 20 FACILITIES......

I do that too and only tend to colonize non-breathable tiny worlds if I am well short of resources and need every mineral minor I can get

SORRY FOR USING CAPITALS, DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THE FANCY BOLDING IN A MESSAGE THAT YOU DO!

select and copy the text you want in bold, click on the bold icon next to the instant Graemlins, paste in the text and hey presto, it is bold

[Gryphin]

Small and Tiny Worlds - Uses For:
I use them for:
1) Re - supply depots if they are close to a warp point.
2) Storage on if I find I need it. I only build storage during times of peace or while preparing a large Facilities upgrade or an invasion fleet.
3) Drop off points for reinforcements. I might shuttle troops or other units to that planet from core worlds. These can than be picked up by front line empty Troop / Satellite / Fighter Carriers.
4) Ship Yard Bases / Re supply Bases.
I’ll build a Ship Yard
Build a Ship Yard Base
Scrap the Ship Yard
Use the planet for Mining / Research / Intel or Fleet Training Facilities.
Use the Ship Yard Base for both construction and to re supply ships, (If you “fleet up” with a Base for one turn, it will completely re supply a ship or fleet.
This is not efficient but it works in a pinch and there are a lot of pinches when it comes to war.
5) Oh, and don’t tell the colonist this but I it also makes a good cheep distraction to the AI while I marshal my fleet.