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Lightning Alpha Strike formula
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Thanks, LDC! I gather you mean capture the planet; I had in mind blowing the system. I doubt they'd want it back then. "Slightly used."  In this game they're right next door. I'm nearly dead center on the map, and they have the whole western third of the map. One problem with grabbing the nearest planet...likely their whole navy will come through that sector, on the shortest route to my nearest planets.
Meanwhile, see my post #329 in the 1.13 Bugs thread. When I tried to load my latest position this morning, the game came up empty. Main map all red, no systems, no ships, no aliens under F5, no planets under F2, just "Test Text" here and there. [I know, I know, some people will do *anything* to avoid a loss!]
      
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Maxti: Thanks to you, I have my first Gigantic Maso victory, and my first 60,000 score! When I joined the Metaverse, my goal was to make it into the top 250; this has propelled me into the top 100 (and "just" one more would bring me precisely to #50...if I posted one Right Now ). I have one more of these quite far along, so I think I'll finish that one, then I might try to actually do one of these quickly, as opposed to micromanaging what is supposed to be lightning-quick. 
The one thing I haven't done is to win a *real* military victory on a big map Maso. I did a small-map frigate rush, but I haven't slugged it out with the Big Guns. If I do that, I may retire...as I have Civ3:Conquests burning a hole in my virtual pocket.
Thanks again for the ideas and the help!
-- HtL
p.s. We've noted how embarassing it is to overlook one last planet that a major colonized or seized. (Fortunately I had sent a few extra 5-stacks as the Altarians grabbed two I-League worlds Not Long Before the End.) I also realized that it would be Very Unfortunate if some two-bit admiral decided to "protect" his budding terror star by building Protection Fields with one of the five constructors (one click short, you know?)
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Maxti et al:
Admiral Glacier here. I have some questions about the mechanics of a true lightning run, as opposed to the "too much management" (not necessarily micro) that I am still doing.
1. How often do you stop to deal with the aliens?
2. Do you "rough-cut" any deals rather than fine-tuning the amount of cash, etc.?
3. Do you generally avoid tech trades in favor of cash & carry?
4. What do you leave ON among the options? (I eventually turn off my ships, and alien ships go early. I leave battles (and I don't think that matters if the ships are off). I should turn off anomaly popups, I suppose.
5. Once I get to the "constructor only" stage, is there a way to NOT have to click "Next" for each planet?
6. Do you *really* level the sliders that early? It seems so inefficient; I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it.
Thanks! -- HtL
p.s. Almost done with another Gigantic Maso, but took a break by doing a Tiny Maso where I took an aggressive military approach starting with a frigate rush. I was just tired of constructors!
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Hi HtL. I find if I play too much for speed, it is not as much fun for me.
I deal with the aliens more than necessary, I check every few turns to make sure no one has gone cool or worse on me because sometimes I don't always understand why they don't like me except I am a weenie militarily. If I can find the Alexians, I try to get cash. This is especially helpful early before the trade routes kick in. Often by the time I get to the Alexians, it doesn't matter because my trade routes bring in the bc, but Alexians are special.
I fine-tune deals early in the game and rough-cut once I have a good cash flow. Usually I rough-cut the cash, then top it off with rough-cut of influence points. When I am bribing and giving MY money away, I fine-tune.
I trade for techs that I want or that I can sell or trade otherwise I don't bother to get something everyone has but I don't need.
My options are about like yours. I turned off the explosions so it makes the alpha strike much faster.
I haven't figured out how to avoid left mouse-clicking "next" for each planet even though the way points / rally points are set up and you know the planets are just cranking constructors.
I actually enjoy working the sliders to some degree. I got into this habit of trying to keep my morale around 100% especially early. I elected not to break this habit because I like the population boost of the 100 morale.
So, I finish in 5 or 6 hours when some finish in 2 or 3 but most of the game is quite fun because staying alive on maso when you are the military wimp can be quite challenging. I also listen to music while playing, take frequent breaks, and play other games (mostly online spades at www.hoyle.com for any of you spades cards players out there). I even dither around on the forum when I could be playing.
This is a fun way to play but for how long I don't know. I would like to check out almost all non-military ways of winning before my Gal Civ days are over. For a military fix, I prefer Combat Mission and Sid Meier's Gettysburg. Whatever you do, don't forget to have fun. 
      
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| just hit one of the function keys (I usually pick F5 to check on relations). That takes you out of the "click next for each planet" queue. |
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I've done that accidentally, so I forgot about it! Thanks.
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Just a heads-up....the "bug" that enables you to build terror-stars when you are in the red (economy wise), seems to have been fixed in AP.
   
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Thanks, Aaberg! I'm glad it's fixed, and gladder to get the warning!
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You can get the cash necessary if you get your trade going early . . . at least playing rare. One just has to make building freighters a really high priority.
Or . . one can trade with the Alexians. Has AP stopped the cash trading with the Alexians? As vincible has noted early economics in maso can be "searching for Alexians".
Finally somone posted in the FotR thread about "logistics" in AP invalidating the lightning alpha strike strategy. Can anyone explain AP logistics relative to Maxti's lightning alpha strike strategy?
Thanks.
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It cost me about 150,000 bc last game to build enough terror stars for an alpha strike on a gigantic rare. I had about 240,000 bc at the time. Thanks for the heads up on the new AP changes.
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| Finally somone posted in the FotR thread about "logistics" in AP invalidating the lightning alpha strike strategy. Can anyone explain AP logistics relative to Maxti's lightning alpha strike strategy? |
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Since I am the one who made the post in the FotR thread (in the empire forum), I will summarize. But
I don't have AP, I am just reading the various threads.
The cost for building a starbase is linked with the number of starbase you own. Maybe something likes "a new starbase cost 500 BC * the number of starbase you own" (I don't know, I haven't AP)
So at a certain point, the cost to build a starbase will be greater than the cost to transform a starbase into a TS.
Does it answer to the question?
    
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After a little research, you can found info in the galactic forum in the thread:
Starbase idea - use diminishing returns
(sorry I don't know how to post link  )
Looks like the factor is actually 250 and it seems that it will be lowered with new technologies and wonder.
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Thanks Peace. That means it costs bc to build any basic starbase even before the mods? I think I get it. We have to figure out how much it costs to build 30 terror stars in one turn and add that to the 150,000 bc for 30 terror stars. . . I think, right?
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I did a search on logistics and only came up with 4 threads, one from frogboy but none really explaining the final logistics equation for AP. At first frogboy was saying the number of starbases might be limited to the square root of the population but I am not sure this is resolved. Here is the link  Link
Just copy & paste the URL Peace and it seems to work with a little "Link logo". Anyone playing AP beta who cares to explain logistics? Thanks.
At worst, it seems (pending a better explanation) that logistics and economic changes might limit this strategy to blowing up one race at a time. Hmmm . . . better check the alliance status of the race first. 
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Rick, have you checked your email? 
  
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