I always try to grab as many star systems as I can. If a system only has level 7 planets, I still colonize it. Is this an idiotic move? And also; what about colonizing Mars? (It seems characterful, as it IS the closest world, so it should be the first to be colonized, and scientists do talk about colonizing mars somewhat frequently)
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Not a good idea, Luke. I produce an extract from the manual fyi.
Survival
There are reductions in income for planets under PQ15, reflecting the difficulties of generating
taxable revenues in such a hostile environment. Under PQ 15, life support costs 5bc per month, and
under PQ 10, it costs 10x the government level (so a federation colonizing a class 4 planet would be
paying 5 + 10X4 per month = 45 per month).
Tip: Why would I want to colonize planets under PQ15? Several reasons:
(a) To extend your range or sensors for a long or short period
(b) Because you intend to improve the planet until its PQ is 15 or higher
(c) To exert additional influence.
         
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My usual tactic in sending colony ships is to go after all 15+ planets first. Then my second wave will go after 14+. Finally I will go after 12+. Usually I have Soil Enchancement and Habitat Improvement to bolster these planets to a 15 or 16.
   
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#5
by Citizen Def Zep - 7/7/2003 4:40:09 PM
Luke:
Another issue: planets with a PQ less than Earth's act as speed-brakes on your economic development. Because their populations tend towards lower morale, quicker, than Earth, they will minimize the tax rate you can set Empire-wide - and thus restrict the % amount you can devote to spending.
You can see this by starting a trial game (any settings/picks will do, although avoiding pop/morale/income bonuses will allow the results to be seen more clearly; save at turn 1) and not colonizing anything. Simply focus on running Earth as efficently as possible, maximizing taxes & spending while maintaining morale at 80+. Take note of your progress every 6-12 turns.
Then reload the game and start again, colonizing a sub-Earth PQ planet of your choice. Try keeping pace with the income/morale/spending/build rates established in your first try. You will immediately see that you can only support the colony by decreasing Earth's settings below optimum values, i.e., by "devaluing" Earth, your strongest starting asset.
You are far better off limiting your initial colonization efforts to planets equivalent or superior to Earth. Once Earth is built up, then you can consider a second colonization wave of those planets PQ15+ which you passed over the first time.
   
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| Yeah, the AI won't touch sub-15 planets, |
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I have seen it doing this on very rare occasions, mostly PQ14 planets on gigantic maps.
Although, it might have been after a planet invasion, where the PQ dropped due to chemicals.
   
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Hmm... this thread is making me wonder.
I tend to colonize 12+.
Why?
The AI doesn't take them, and I can get them to over 15 with time.
I wonder if they are dragging me down in the beginning.... hmm.
Maybe I'll stick with 14s.
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you spend 4 of your 10 points for a 2 percent PQ bonus?
Offhand, I'd have to say you should seriously consider reallocating your points. 4 points can get you a hell of alot more than you are currently using them for.
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I think the lower PQ bonus is worth it.... it lets me instantly turn all those AI-avoided 14s into a decent starting planet.
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Some interesting points here.
I take the backfill approach first learned in Birth Of The Federation.....I try and colonise PQ15+ as far away from Earth as I can as early as I can. I know borders & territory in GalCiv aren't the same as in BOTF and Civ3 (for example) but it works for me.
Of course I won't pass up a prize planet close to home but my logic says I can get a colony ship to nearby worlds a hell of a lot quicker than my rivals. This tactic also helps limit the range of rival ships.
When I start backfilling I use my lower pop worlds (usually PQ16 or 17 after soil enhancement) to send colony ships of under 200mil to PQ14's. I will nab PQ13's at this time if they are the only planet in a sector or in a star system I've already colonised. Of course if money is tight then the 13's can wait.
I don't play anything smaller than "large" galaxies mind you so this approach may not work as well in smaller games.
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I find PQ13 planets perfectly adequate (if not playing on Maso) if I can't find anything better. The only real disadvantage is that they don't bring in much tax revenue, but this is offset by (a) the ability to enhance it to PQ15 fairly easily, (b) the fact that I usually get all the money I want from tech trading (c) the extra productivity you get from any planet, even a mediocre one, which increases the amount of research you can do and the number of ships you can build (as long as you can afford to maintain a 100% spend rate), (d) various minor bonuses; increased influence, some extra population for use on transport ships, extra range, the chance of random colonization events, a system that could be used as a gift or traded...
    
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This is a bit off topic, but i would like to know the highest quality planet you have gotten WITHOUT cheating.
mine is 32
 
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I dunno how you cheat. The highest I have got (and I think is only possible) is 52.
 
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You can get much higher PQ if you get the PQ boosting random event.
You can cheat/cheese by repeatedly destroying and colonising your colony to get the PQ boosting colonising event. The boosted PQ remains and colonising events are repeatable.
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| You can cheat/cheese by repeatedly destroying and colonising your colony to get the PQ boosting colonising event. The boosted PQ remains and colonising events are repeatable. |
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Hmmm...sounds like a waste of time. I just take what the game gives me...and then take what the Drengin have, and then the Yor, etc. 
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Yeah, you're right, Barry. The person who shared this with us got in excess of 100 PQ IIRC. He did it to show that it can be done, don't think he was trying to do it regularly though.
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