New player struggling

Andy Watkins · #1 April 10th, 2002, 10:21 AM

Dear all,

I won! beat the lot of them by getting 3X nearest score.

Couple more questions though. I used capital ship missiles and cannons I started the game with the entire game. Advanced to level 5 but that was it.

I developed dozens of other weapons that didn't seem very good so never used them??

Just realised the little green pill shaped anti mater torpedo is actually a direct fire weapon so would have been very good. What about the others??

I've ended up with all types of technology and advances, some I really like and would like to research early in my next game, is there any where you can see which research line you have to take to get a particular advance.

e.g. Advanced military science, what does it give you, how can you retrospectively tell other than write everything down as you go through the game

Andy

Growltigga · #2 April 10th, 2002, 10:34 AM

Andy

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

I see what you mean about technology but if you right click on any tech level, it should tell you what level and equipment you get at that level. IIRC if you right click on advanced military science, it should show that you get ship and fleet training facilities and ship capture tech.

I just go on that basis and if I dont like the tech when I research it, I trade it with the AI for something I do like

Andy Watkins · #3 April 10th, 2002, 11:46 AM

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 · #4 April 10th, 2002, 12:17 PM

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 · #5 April 10th, 2002, 12:38 PM

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 · #6 April 10th, 2002, 12:52 PM

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 · #7 April 11th, 2002, 01:53 AM

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