Ok...

[Col. Mustard]

5000 race points, large cluster, and high number AI's (Usually 18-20 I think)

[rdouglass]

My only comments would be to re-iterate what Slynky said:

A lot of 4X games are the same (kind of) in that research is the key to the win. That and a strong economy. If you have that, a fleet to be reckoned with will come.

If your destroyers are up against dreadnaughts, you're seriously behind the expansion/research curve. Higher tech weapons / components / ships rule!!!!

And the part about training, I too consider training to be vital to any sucessful campaign.

[Col. Mustard]

Yes, neutral races and no AI bonus. Actually, I started a new game with some of you people strategies. Let me se how it works before you waste any more time on me lol

[douglas]

Here it is (.emp file attached in zip):
(general details, I just picked the first in each list)
Environment: rock/methane (breathers for this atmosphere are rare - you'll have an easier time finding breathers of other atmospheres to capture)
Culture: Berzerkers, of course
Physical Strength: 50%
Intelligence: 120%
Cunning: 80%
Environmental Resistance: 51%
Reproduction: 109%
Happiness: 100%
Aggressiveness: 80%
Defensiveness: 120%
Political Savvy: 50%
Mining Aptitude: 120%
Farming Aptitude: 80%
Refining Aptitude: 80%
Construction Aptitude: 121% (had some points left over for that Last 1%)
Repair Aptitude: 82% (with berzerkers penalty is exactly 80%)
Maintenance Aptitude: 120%
Advanced Traits: Advanced Storage Techniques, Hardy Industrialists, Deeply Religious, Crystallurgy

This race absolutely depends on the Talisman to have effective ships using direct fire weapons. I would advise you to use missiles until you get the Talisman. Once you do, use only direct fire weapons, and always set your combat ships' strategy to maximum range.

This race has a sufficient construction rate bonus to emergency build colonizers in one turn on the homeworld. Do so for the first 11 turns unless you really need something else pronto. Send at least the first few out exploring (don't forget to load population first). In general, if you don't know of a good planet to colonize, send the colonizer exploring unless you're certain it won't find anything unclaimed.

I strongly suggest building a space yard on every planet you colonize, usually as the Last facility in the queue. Colonize at least one or two tiny or nonbreathables early on to take over for when your homeworld starts slow build.

OT: why does the forum allow attaching .exe's but not .emp's?

[brianeyci]

It normally takes two turns to build a colonizer right? So what we need is 1.5x = 2, which means x = 2/1.5 = 4/3, which is one third. Therefore, you need around 133%, lets make it 135% for easy to remember.

Get hardy industrialists. +25% build rate. use racial points to pump up build rate to 110%. You have 135% build rate, the minimum to build a colonizer in one turn with emergency build.

Brian

Brian