I recently started new game and I have been constantly calculating the balance to expand, build defences and research in the first 50 or 60 turns. Because you can do only one thing at a time in your space yard, you have to choose between colonyships, defence (platforms, ships, satellites) and infrastructure (research, mining and intelligence facilities). How long can you fool your opponent that you have strong defences when there are nothing? Can you make him think you are just trespassing when asking permission to send 20 ships fleet through his system?
Of course it depends of many things (how many players, how close, how big galaxy, starting levels, etc.) but basically you can do something as follows:
1. Fast growth. Build only colonyships, space yards and perhaps few satellites for palnets to fool opponents of defence. Neglete research, intelligence and defence facilities. Gives superb base for fast military vehicle production, though short of resources will be a problem.
2. Early take over. Build only few colonyships to colonize your home system, make space yards and after that build a fleet of militaryships to take over nearest neighbor in "All or nothing strike". Extremely risky if failed, but successfully done gives you great leap forward.
3. Middle way. Build little of everything. Propably not enough to stop cunning enemy to take over at turn 40 (you have cunning neighbor 2 systems away who decided to gamble all or nothing) and may get you trapped if your neighbor claims all planets around you. Sure way to get yourself as "minor power" but propably keeps you alive at the beginning.
I believe most experienced players do as number 1 as long as they see the first signs of aggression from neighbour. Then they switch emergency build of military ships/platforms for defence and hope neighbour does not know the status of your military strength. I like the idea of choise number 2, though it would lead quick destruction if miscalculated the strength of your neighbour and I don't like to wipe neighbours at first. I prefer flourish through trade.
Number 3 is propably something newbies usually do. They colonize and fortify their home before expanding. Though, of there are little left for conquer by then.
I would like to start a discussion of starting tactics, their differences, flaws and advances. Like I described above, there are advances and flaws of either ones but what is the golden line in them. *Ahh...* playing against you humans is marvellous
Starting tactics
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