100th post. Wow, don't think I've ever seen a strat forum thread get up to a 100.
          
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OK, my contribution is never underestimate what micro management can do for you. Yes, its tedious, tough and hard work, with the UI as it is now, but it can also make or break your Maso game. Thats one reason its called Maso too, no doubt. 
By MICRO, I mean things like maximizing AND optimizing your spending patterns. Adjust the top sliders so that your overall spending is showing the maximum possible value. Initially, 100% morale is good too, especially if you are colonizing a lot and running thin on the ground. 100% morale doubles your pop growth RATE. Try keeping it above 90% later in the game also.
Optimizing spend means just spending enough to get that next MIL or SOCIAL project by next turn, no more. Basically adjust the Mil and Social slider so that only the planet which is nearest to it will complete it. If its a close rally, spend little more so those close by other planets will complete their work also. Put rest of your money in Research. Or, sometimes vice versa, complete the TECH by next turn, and put any extra in building CONSTRUCTORS for instance.
Sometimes it is not possible to do this 100% ideal way, but this should be the overall guiding principle anyway.
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Yes good point, after the first critical years I tend to do the same. Relax time, let off the controls. 
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In my last game I moved up my usual game of 3 incredibles & 2 geniuses to 4 incredibles & genius Drengins. I stuck to my pacifist style.
When the Altarians came to me and demanded I give them Sol, I instead gave them 1 Influence point, just as an insult. They were ecstatically grateful. It was scary how effective this was in boosting relations.
I don't know if this is a bug or if it's fixed in the Beta, but it makes Maso seem a whole lot easier.
   
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Don't know if you've seen this thread or not, Matt.
 Link
 
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The AI should take it as an insult, but I guess they're happy just getting anything. I've gone from a hostile AI to close using the 1I point "cheese".
I believe it's something that should be fixed, though (sometime down the line of course).
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It helps if you are the same alignment.
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My congratulations go out to Ray the Wanderer for surpassing the 200K mark in the metaverse.
Mr. Ray the Wanderer can you tell me how you are playing so that you are now getting scores of 30,000.
I have been following this thread with interest but I really still do not understand how you are getting these scores. I have tried MASO and have come close to winning. I have been trying new strategies lately and will attempt MASO again very soon.
Are you building lots of starbases ? Do you have tons of ships ? Do you crush the AI militarily or do convert them with culture ? Perhaps a large population ? Do you max out the tech ? Are you going for a really quick finish ?
Thanks for any help.
Formally Bradley@Maple
 
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#114
by Citizen LDiCesare - 9/6/2003 5:26:26 PM
I think a score of 30000 is not outstanding, as it is capped. I got a 15k score on a gigantic maso for an alliance win in 1.05. For a military win, you get more points plus you control all the stars so you could expect moe points. Add to that the fact I used rare yellow stars, I think any miitary victory on gigantic abundant maso would yield a very high score.
Now, you 'just' have to beat maso and play the gigantic map in less time than Ray to beat him  .
Here's how I played this one:
Turtle in my cluster to start with. Trade with Alexians who were in the same sector as Sol (lucky me). Then trade exclusively with Arceans to the North. Keep good relations with them, and then my Yor neighbours. Trade techs, get the influence wonders. Later, I culture bombed the Yor and was trying to do the same to the Arceans when there was an event that said 'Arceans are trying to culturally conquer bla bal native influence increased'. No more culture bombing, I had to build transports. Now considering I had allied myself with the Arceans who were the top gun in the galaxy, cleaning up the others was quite easy. Just had to send combat transports.
The Torians were even easier to finish: I proposed peace if they gave me 5 star systems. They accepted. They had 5 star systems, so 5 - 5 = 0, bye bye Torians.
Incredible Torians are still incredibly silly sometimes. They should have surrendered before rather than do that show.
  
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| Now, you 'just' have to beat maso and play the gigantic map in less time than Ray to beat him |
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Unfortunately my computer is rather old and I am limited to medium or smaller maps.
Today I played my first crippling game all the AI set to Genius (I think). It started out similar to my other games with a dumber AI but it got ugly fast. The Dregin got really agressive fast. After a long defensive battle I bought their friendship with the Aphrodisiac trade good. Then I massed my fleets (in my own sector) bribed another AI to attack the Dregin. Once that battle was underway I slipped in the back door and took 3 of his 5 planets in one turn. Made peace for 5 turns and finished him off. The game was essentially won at that point.
I made it sound simple but it was very close for a bit. I will try MASO tomorrow I think.
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On smaller maps, the key strats to win at Maso are a combination of rushing, Alpha Strike and bribing to war.
You are already doing that on Genius. Maso's not much different except that the AIs' ships would usually be two generations above yours. That's not a big problem because your target is planets and Maso AIs are still not too good at defending planets.
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Tried MASO on tiny today. I tried it at least 7 times and every time I got my butt handed to me. I had an amazing start but about 5 years into it I usually had 3 or 4 of the 5 attacking me and no way to bribe them to stop. I really do not understand how to take the AI on playing MASO.
Once, I even beat all but the Dregin to Frigates and just started massing my fleet to take them on. But then they just wore me down.
Perhaps I will try again when someone posts something like a guide.
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It's not likely that you can bribe them for peace on Maso due to the large disparity in military and economic ratings. The key is bribing the Strong/Strongest AIs to fight each other or others before they fight you. Once you get them declaring war on you, it's usually a death spiral/domino effect.
Are you wasting ships fighting in space? Don't, unless you are taking out transports. Save your frigates for planet strikes. Your priority is taking out AI planets, not their ships.
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off topic - How do you include links to web sites or other messages in this forum ?
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