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Post by bookworm21 on Jul 20, 2016 15:32:22 GMT -5
As late as possible  I tend to wait until first contact, and then hope my industrial and scientific base can cope. For research I will rush to get I think? Hab 3, mine 3 and exchange 3 before starting to work on military tech beyond colonisers Slightly related, don't forget you can manipulate the build queue to have a ton of ships 1 turn from completion - as long as you keep building other stuff |
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Post by En1gma on Jul 20, 2016 16:23:54 GMT -5
It depends, but I typically play in a wave pattern. I research Eco/Syst (Factory first, then Colony ship, of course) until my Primes have enough to keep them busy for a while. Once I have that, I switch to the ship building side and pick a tree or two to work on. I tend to go deep into each tree and finish them, so your builder has something to work with. Once you get to a good spot and your colonies are starting to wrap up their projects and stabilize (make sure you build mines here!!), then it's time to switch back to the Eco/Syst side and pick some more milestones.
Keep going back and forth like that and you should start finding a rhythm that works for you...
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Post by MintDragon on Jul 21, 2016 22:53:59 GMT -5
Keep going back and forth like that and you should start finding a rhythm that works for you... Rhythm is a great way to describe it. For example, say in mid-game I need to really boost research, so I'll target Exchange 3 (which gives each planet a +4 research boost [going from memory, apologies if incorrect]). While I'm building this on all my planets that can turn it in 10 turns or less, I turn my attention to key tech that I want from my ships (powerful torpedoes or high damage invasion pods), then flip back to pick up economy tech to boost production, then ... Each map and Xeno race provides a different challenge (which you can alter in the game setup). If the Xeno are going to attack you early, you need to have defenses and ships to hold them off early, while if it will take awhile, you can afford to build a strong economy and defenses, and (more slowly) develop your ship tech. I'm using the DEGLA: The Garden as my sandbox for learning. If you select Easy/1 Enemy, the Xeno will be slow to expand/attack, and they will always come from the SW of your initial position. So I basically scout SW as far as I can with the defender ships, then run north once they try to attack me (if you have the fuel, you can kill a few, and they will turn around when their fuel gets low). From that point, you will have several hundred turns before they expand near enough to make you nervous. And if you mark the planets in that quadrant during your initial scouting, you can even see them coming as they expand closer. Now you have a sandbox to experiment with specific tech, or research flow, colonization/expansion, economic options, etc... that you like. And you have the gift of time on your side. Here is a screen shot of my last game at turn 200-ish, still hadn't engaged the Xeno, but I had started to build my attack and invasion fleet shortly afterwards:  |
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Post by MintDragon on Jul 22, 2016 0:13:07 GMT -5
Ok, so in the hopes this helps some other beginners like me, using the above map and settings, here is my current game. It's a series of screen shots of the various game screens; I'm currently on turn 147 (early/mid game). I only have my starting ships (plus colony ships that expanded), I'm about 50% built out on mines, but the income is pretty good each turn at 2.4K profit each turn. I can't spend all of it on building stuff on planets, but once I start building ships and attacking, the total will start to fall each turn (from maintenance, size of fleet, etc...). Map: Note the Xeno in the SW quadrant, they just jumped to a yellow planet a few turns ago, but I can keep an eye on them. My 2 defenders are north of them, in a pocket of green squares, so I can use them to rush/distract if needed. Politics-wise, I have 3 trade routes, 2 of them are alliances, so I just keep subsidizing the politics at this point since I have a lot of cash coming in each turn. Research is at 89, and concerned that it is too low, trying to improve that by building things that increase research points. Also, my manufacturing will need to be better pretty soon, it's only 88 CP.  Research Tree: I'm only a third of the way through the research tree. The expansions to the right of where I am will jump to 1000 RP+ pretty quick, branching up/down isn't as much, but to start to get to 'good things' that I want, I need to invest in moving to the right (which often isn't a very enticing upgrade). Hence, trying to get my RP up rather quickly. I started with FACTORY 1, then COLONY SHIPS, pretty much skipped around picking up things as I thought I would need (and skipping things like fighter ship tech -- I'm planning on primarily a torpedo fleet and invasion fleet). I think I'm researching Exchange 4 currently. Similar to what bookworm21 said, since I know I have time, and COULD just sit and wait for the Xeno to come to me, I can afford to keep researching better weapon and ship tech, keep improving my production and bank account; then once I reach a critical point, pick the best ship tech combinations that I have and build out a fleet. Or strike first with my current tech and wipe them out, or deal with a hornets nest if I can't. I LOVE this game (even tho I'm still a newbie and not very savvy).  Empire Summary: nuff said   Colony Screens: Just a couple. You can see that the housing is under control, Mines are built out about halfway, Defenses are protecting levels (they also contribute to research points, trade points, etc..). I have Starport 4, Palace 3, Exchange 3, FDF 1, Factory 2, Mine 2, Housing 2, Spice 2 available to me, and building out. Also, the PRIME planets were colonized with the closest 3 grouping to the Xeno (SW), so they would be the most mature, and will be the manufacturing muscle once I start building a fleet. Also, there are more non-Cadar colonies built already, so that when I expand to attack the Xeno, I can use Cadar to expand (and get the manufacturing strength) and not piss off the other factions. The younger colonies are a little painful to kickstart, until you have a few factories to get momentum, so I've learned to resist doing a mass expansion (more than 3 at the same time) to weather the morale, housing, production and income growing pains that occur. Also, I'm kind of grouping the star systems by designating West, East, Northeast, etc... so I have an idea of how mature they are when managing them. I just add 'NorthEast' or whatever to the end of the name as part of my play. It really helps me keep things straight.  
So rhythm and balance are key in keeping things steading improving with this map and settings. I've already won on this map, but it really is a sandbox for learning to me, so I'm trying to be more efficient than last time, I have a better idea on the research I want, and am learning with each turn. The amazing thing is that I can replay this with a higher difficulty setting, and up to 6 Xeno races trying to exterminate me. Simply amazing. (not to mention the other factions available to me). But once you get the basics down, the other threads (such as ship building strategies, or invasion strategies) start to make a lot more sense. |
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Post by Fourth Horseman on Jul 22, 2016 8:55:24 GMT -5
Ask my cowoker... the ryrhym and pull out method don't work. Lmao. Sorry, I just had to. Thanks for your help. Actually I'm on the Garden as well, but they came from NE of my current. I think it chooses randomly where it it locates the xeno.
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Post by MintDragon on Jul 23, 2016 1:26:30 GMT -5
Ask my cowoker... the ryrhym and pull out method don't work. Lmao. Sorry, I just had to. Thanks for your help. Actually I'm on the Garden as well, but they came from NE of my current. I think it chooses randomly where it it locates the xeno. just to confirm, you are using easy/1 enemy on your game? Tried 4 more times with different factions, and still end up with W position with the Xeno SW of me.. pretty sure the 'weak/slow' Xeno are SW, but curious if tied to some other factor. When I try more Xeno races or higher difficulty, it sets up different, but consistent starting situations for me. |
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Post by Fourth Horseman on Jul 23, 2016 8:45:21 GMT -5
Normal difficulty
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Darth Cthoras
Star Hero
For the Sith, the Cadar, and the Xenos!
Posts: 557 
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Post by Darth Cthoras on Jul 23, 2016 20:03:49 GMT -5
I love this game... still can't effing play it worth a poop, but I love it lol Seconded. Currently attempting a strategy that involves abusing two lesser meatshields - I mean clans - for their passive abilities, while building up a single Cadar planet as the single greatest power... whereupon I shall create vast hordes of ships to overwhelm and conquer xeno worlds. |
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acecow
Curator
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Posts: 65
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Post by acecow on Jul 23, 2016 20:14:40 GMT -5
Just...be careful that those two meatsh-...clans don't gang up and swarm you with dubious political maneuverings...
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Darth Cthoras
Star Hero
For the Sith, the Cadar, and the Xenos!
Posts: 557
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Post by Darth Cthoras on Jul 23, 2016 20:29:09 GMT -5
Just...be careful that those two meatsh-...clans don't gang up and swarm you with dubious political maneuverings... Given I've got them in position to be bombed by the Xenos any year now and have no defences to stop it, I doubt they'll have time to pull it off. Then Cadar will move in and secure victory for humanity - just as soon as everyone else is good and dead. |
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