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#8852
by Citizen Brewskin - 4/20/2004 2:04:16 PM
Howdy Guardians, and assorted random folk.
Yea, ED, I'm finding that trying to get the GSE out first slows down my initial rush. In my current game, it's 2182, and I have a solid tech lead, and am making money at 25% tax and 100% spending. I ended up with 5 planets, instead of the 4 I planned on, found a double 15 next door, as well as a 16, so had to grab them both. Worked out well, I was able to stop military spending completely in Sep, instead of Nov., which gave me a nice jump start. And that seems to be the key, for me at least, a good starting position.
I've carefully monitored morale and income, adjusting each turn to stay at 100% morale on all systems, and keeping spending at a rate that would net me 0, or the lowest possible. So far, no probs from any opponents, most of them are at warm or better, already. I did change the way I traded for freighters, after grabbing 4 from my 2 initial contacts, and using 2 as scouts, I've traded for 1 each from the others, giving me a freighter right at their doorstep, instant trade route!
I'll finish that one up when I get home, sometime after 5 today, but since I also DLed SD here at my shop, and it's an easy day, orders and emails are all caught up, I think I'll try to cram one in here, as well!
      
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I usually don't have a problem with the GSE - I nearly always have Earth build it after man capital and eco capital. Can usually get it without rush-buying by early 2182.
If you do have to rush-buy it, use the 4th option with the minimum initial cost. The 30 or 40 bc per turn will only hurt you for a few months. 
[Message Edited]
       
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What is GSE??? Sorry for the dumb question.
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In short - trade routes. You'll never get enough cash just from taxes. Get the first 2 routes set up as soon as you can, these will make loads of money in time.
As soon as you research a tech that gives you a new route, get it in place. After getting the GSE, I am running at 100% spending for the rest of the game and easily making 500-1000bc per turn by the end.
Oh, and you can't trade for constructors from the AI. I just ignore building SBs altogether.
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| setting military down to 0 because then I wouldn't be able to get any starbases going. Let alone at least a token defense force |
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Aah, but that's how the strategy works - by not spending anything on military you can put more into social (thus getting the economy going quicker) and research (establishing tech lead). You then gift techs to the AI to keep relations good, removing the need for any military, thus reducing your maintenance costs (no ships, no shipyards etc), which results in your economy building quicker...etc, etc, etc.
If you find a nice fully improved AI starbase on a resource - they'll trade it for some good techs.
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I do build contructors, simply to up grade the SBs I buy from the AI and the TS-AS at the end. Maybe some culture flipping as well. 
    
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#8865
by Citizen Brewskin - 4/20/2004 4:12:17 PM
Jenny, Jenny, yer the girl for me.....
Bon, after getting your early ships(2 scouts/2 Colony ships), military stays at 0 for the rest of the game, no SBs. I then set 100% research until I've gotten the basics, using MM's suggested choices. Then it's 50/50 research/Social, occasionally cranking Social to 100% for a TG or wonder, and tech whoring like a madman. By 2182 or so you should be able to set spending at 100% and start building up the bankroll. The only thing I spent money on was as sweeteners for trades, and on the final turn to settle up the wars.
As for a defense force, last game I never owned a combat vessel, this game I got so far ahead tech wise that I picked up a few BAs just to fill out a trade or two.
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| and on the final turn to settle up the wars. |
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Strategy addendum: I have now noticed (by forgetting to do it once) that stopping the wars isn't necessary if you ally with everyone at the same time. The game ends before any of them have a chance to ask you to join them in their war against another AI.
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Popping in...
bip!
That last game was interesting. Intended to go for an alliance victory, but got too far behind the Altarians to pull it off. Then their influence sectors ended up surrounding me (I started in the middle this time, for the challenge of it), and at that point I knew that I wouldn't be able to pull off a culture-flipping/military victory either. Then lo and behold both the Yor and the Drengin up and quit, leaving me with their remaining systems. I 'nibbled' away at the influence lead for a while (63% to 33%, in favor of the Altarians) until I noticed that they had moved from 'hostile' to 'friendly'. Traded what little I had to bring them up to 'close', allied with them and the two other remaining majors, and snuck away with a 'victory'!
My wife was surprised to hear that I was playing with different settings this last game (large/abundant/scattered), but it simply points out how varied this game can be!
Now I gotta give MagMan's maso strategy a shot (albeit, not yet up to maso!). Oh, and I keep creeping up in the Metaverse--how ensconced at #313! I never expect to hit the 'high ranks' simply because I lack the time to put in those numbers of games, but it's still fun to watch!
...popping out!
 
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| No one answered my frieghter question. |
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Only way to be sure is to get one that's in orbit. Failing that, station a scout in the middle of an AIs planet cluster and watch for freighters leaving or approaching their planets (helps if you have Eyes of the Universe). Adds to the micro-management either way, but in the early game you need to be checking for trades every 2 or 3 turns anyway, so just add a freighter check into your routine.
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WTG Major D. Looks like you're progressing nicely - another fine addition to the Guardian's roster. 
You don't need to crank the games out to hit the top 25, a steady submission rate will get you there - it will just take a bit longer. Just check out Theoden's profile.
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