Are you tough enough to be the "King of the Hill"?

[geoschmo]

Yes, empire settings cannot make up for rapid expansion. I usually have my mineral production rate somewhat stunted actually, unless it's a high racial point game or something. Lot's and lot's of colonies is the key.

[Renegade 13]

For the first 11 turns, Emergency Build is your friend. What I do every KOTH game is immediately stick my homeworld on E-Build, that way I can pump out a colony ship per turn for 11 turns if so desired (the duration of E-Build). If you don't use it, you can only build one colony ship per two turns, which can really stunt your development in the early game. Of course, you can vary this theme; building a couple base space yards to get a little extra production; build a couple frigate scouts to speed up exploration, etc. Note that the above examples can all be built in a single turn, but ONLY if you have E-Build on.

I'm not entirely sure, but you may also require a bit of a racial trait boost in order to get colony ships/base space yards built in a single turn. But I always like to take a +20% boost to spaceyard rate, so that never an issue

Hope this tip helps!

[Phoenix-D]

Fuzzie: for our game I propose:

-no intel
-no mines

I'm open for any other settings?

[DeKaye]

Ok . And .....

-no intel
-no mines
-manual placement
-rest KOTH default

Is this okay?

Fuzzie


Quote:
"Fuzzie: for our game I propose:

-no intel
-no mines

I'm open for any other settings? "

[Slynky]

Just a comment to both you guys...hehe...NO MINES is a tricky game. Manual placment almost a must. But tip of the hat goes to careful gaming without mines. It's a lot more "wide open".

Have fun!

[DeKaye]

Thanks for the advice Slynky. I played my last game with no mines, and I enjoyed it. I didn't have to take up time cranking out mines and mine layers. It indeed is a different game. Mines in a game does have a lot of advantages.

Fuzzie

[Phoenix-D]

I'd be more favorable toward mines if the sweeping method wasn't so absurd.

Those settings are acceptable.

[Renegade 13]

Renegade 13 surrenders to Glyn.

I'm not sure where I went wrong, but somewhere I did! Congratulations Glyn, and good luck!

I look forward to my next ***-kicking

[Glyn]

Thanks for the game Renegade. What did you think of the balance mod?

I think, I’m learning how to be more effective in [balance mod] expansion. I don’t known about others, but I find it better not to colonize the best planet first in each system. Chose a world with about 3 to 5 slots first. Build the Shipyard and space port. That way by the time the second colony ship get to the system or is build in system you can safely colonize the breathable world and build facilities for the next twenty turns without locking up your shipyard.

If there is anyway possible to eliminate planet and moons of being the same type (IE 2 rock types or 2 Ice types) it needs to be done in the balance mod. I had three such jewels in my empire. Two of which were placed conveniently for ship training on the way to the front.

I’m ready for some system variety in my next game.

[Alneyan]

If you don't mind, I'll wait for another game to wrap up before updating. It looks like games finish in clusters, so that should work out alright. Besides, I *promised* worse updates, so I should deliver the goods.

I don't handle Balance mod expansion very well, at least compared to my expansion in the standard game. Still, we agree on one thing: the SY planet should be pretty bad and be settled soon, unless the system is contested. Of course, this implies that the system will get only one SY to begin with (for further expansion).

I do not worry about spaceports unless I need resources, though. If I see a huge breathable, I will settle it as soon as possible and start building facilities there, even if there isn't any spaceport. The rationale is to fill it up as fast as possible, and a spaceport can always come in later (it only takes two turns to build with EB, at no cost if used on ordinary planets). I know I'm happy when I almost, but not quite, manage to collapse my economy during expansion.