what are some standard gameplay styles

[Doomshade]

I have played 10-12 games or so to the 100+ turn and a couple to the 200+ turn level but have yet to finish a game (I micro too much [slow play] and I am always learning new stuff so I start a new game often). I am curious what some of the more experienced players do in their games. I play Cynoid the most with maxed res, mine, ind, creative and middle loyalty thing and nat eng, tolerant, Ant ancest. In huge 3 arms (love large maps in all games) w/ many short lanes many extras and 4-8 opponents on easy (still learning the game).

1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?
2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?
3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?
4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?
5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.
6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)
7)I would love to see save games available to DL to look at how things are set up specifically (all the sliders, etc). Or even just more screenies.

[StormHawk]

1 - I haven't picked a favorite race yet. I don't even think I have played them all yet. So far I am liking Evon, Cynoid, Raas. I am currently playing Klackon, as yet undecided (poor tech :()

2 - I colonize EVERYTHING I can. Of course I try and colonize the green planets first, then the rich ones and the large ones. Of course it depends on your selected race, as gravity penalties can be significant.

3 - I have VERY specialized DEA placement. Rich worlds, all the mountains/broken regions are mines. Large planets all the DEAs are industry. Smaller planets I place research. I also allow for adaptation. If I have HUGE surplus of minerals, I replace mines with industry/research DEAs.

4 - I use auto built with a few tweaks. I normally have 1 class of LR, SR, IF, CV, PD, and RC. I design my planets/game around building the largest ships available. I rarely have a problem with the VR building ships. I still have to force it to build the more expensive ships sometimes (usually IF ships)

5 - I try. I love to use the senate to impose sanctions, declare total war. If I am not in the senate, I trade with almost everybody, even those I dont like/plan to go to war with. I also trade alot. Some people say they can never trade with the AI, I am always being approached by the AI. (except when I aply Ithkul :)). I tend to make counter-offers alot too. They normally get rejected, but you can get more if you are liked/lucky/good. Also getting the AI to trade away planets is a cool way of conquering an ally. :D

6 - Not exactly sure what you are asking...but I'll try. I try and have 'pure' planets. Why have some of your original race on a planet that is red2 to them, but green1 to a magnate?

7 - I can upload save games to you, or a server if you want. Saves are quite large though. (current ones I have are 1.89 MB to 5.52 MB). Let me know details if you want.

I also tend to play on small clusters, so my strategies are not well tested on larger galaxies. Like trading for planets isn't as significant.

[DeckPrism]

Yikes! I don't have the energy to answer all that. However, I have seen answers to most of your questions in the strategy folder. So, keep looking.

[Strifeguard]

1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?
When I play MP I always grab Evon. They now lack the diplomacy bonuses they had pre-patch (Senate vote bonus as well), but they just have so many points that it's worthwhile. I trade their citizenship from "Loyalty" all the way down to "Liberty" and take "Good" mining and manufacturing, and "Superior" trade. Note: If I was going to play SP, I'd do something about their "poor" diplomacy, but that isn't enforced against human players so...
In SP I always play stock humans. I swear that they have some kind of an undocumented diplomacy advantage which makes it VERY easy to run the Orion sector behind the scenes. Last game, I was able to turn two of my allies against each other (they ranked 2 and 3, I was 1) and then go in and colonize all the worlds they glassed along our mutual border. For some reason, this kind of tactic just seems too difficult to pull off in the early game.

2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?
I grab all the SS, G1 and G2 worlds I can, with the exception of multiple worlds in the same system in the early game. Early on, I think it's more important to "get my foot in the door" in several systems rather than completely colonizing only a handful. If I can land a colony and squeeze out even 1, lancer sized system ship, it will prevent other players from colonizing the rest of the system, while I have the luxury of back-filling later on.

I grab Yellow worlds (regardless of 1 or 2) in order to further the "get my foot in the door" doctrine. If there's a starsystem in my empire with no planets other than a poor, small, yellow 2, the fact is that some other empire will claim it if I don't, so it's a premption of potential difficulties later in the game.

I try to avoid red worlds, unless they have specials on them. Rare radioactives and Rare petrochemicals both make industry DEAs produces at 300% or more, so they're always worth grabbing, even in the early game. The same goes for magnates.

3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?
I try and put at least one research DEA on every world, otherwise Roy will burn research grants like they aren't even there. Otherwise, I look at population more than natural resources.

Yeah, I know this is counter-intuitive, but by turn 150, even a poor world with no mountains is turning out 100+ minerals off of only 3 mining DEAs, while a size 12 ultra rich planet filled with mountains can turn out 5k-6k industry a turn. Yes, if there happens to be a small rich world, obviously that's preferable for mining, and small poor worlds are better off researching/farming (with a little industry for income), but what really matters is population. An industry DEA with all the improvements takes more than 6 pop to run. That means that a size 6 world, where the population won't ever reach much more than 40-50, will never be able to efficiently overdrive 6 industry DEAs (i.e. DEA production due to population reaching over 150%). On the other hand, a size 12 world (properly terraformed and improved) can begin to approach 180 pop, meaning that industry DEAs on such a world can achieve "peak" productivity.

Finally, since industry can't be "exported" but all other resources can, it's better to have fewer ultra-high industry worlds, with many smaller worlds backing them up, than to have many small-industry worlds.

4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?
Can't really say, it depends upon what shows up in my tech tree. Usually I build a more-or-less standard IF ship (latest warhead, rocket mount or better, 2 shots-per-launcher, as many launchers as possible, pd beams in whatever space is left) but last game I didn't for a long time, because Anionic Warheads weren't in my tech tree. Instead I went for LR ships, with 2 spinal mounts, 2 heavy mounts, remaining space put into standard mounts and a couple of pd mounts, all weapons being latest longest-ranged tech.

5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.
Definitely. Usually the AI likes to "get in your way" when you're trying to achieve hegemony over the Orion sector. If I'm about to invade the Klackons, I can expect some pretty heavy ship production from them, so I don't really want to waste armadas patrolling my border with the harvesters.

Solution? Get someone else to fight the Harvesters while I expand my empire. Sometimes it takes more than 1 race. If the Sakkra can't take down the Ithkul, send the Meklar in after them.

Diplomacy also allows you to add an additional RP (or "fun") aspect to the game. Sure, I could attack the Klackons, move methodically through their systems, secure them all, then turn on the Meklar with a now significantly improved production capacity, but that's no fun. What is getting the Evon and Eoladi to join me in a war against the Klackons and the Meklar. This set up allied me (#1) with the #4 and #5 empires against the #2 and #3 empires. I can tell you that the game was amazing, and wasn't that hard to engineer.

6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)
I always take them all at once. In the early game, I do this because my goal is to leverage the 6-10 pop on the magnate world ASAP. Every turn that I wait for the outpost to become a colony, I'm not recieving minerals that would allow me to replace mining DEAs on my homeworld with industry.

In the late game, I try to take them all at once simply because, if I don't, some else will. All the empires are so large by then that migration is rampant, have an outpost for more than a few turns, and it will probably join someone else's empire through immigration.

7)I would love to see save games available to DL to look at how things are set up specifically (all the sliders, etc). Or even just more screenies.
I'd love to share...unfortunately I have no place to host. I'm working on that.

[Doomshade]

for the replies. Deckprism you could throw in just one or two answers if it is too much but I think others will be helped by this too.

Unfortunately I have trolled the str/gme folder for over two months and have not really seen any post like this some close but not the same (in my minds eye atleast). This isn't a question about the inner workings of the game or a best of type series of questions. What I am looking for here are the gameplay styles and best practices of some of the very experienced players. For instance I had never colonized a non-green/ss world unless it had a magnate on it but now I probably will because it appears that Y1 and Y2's are worth it.

Anyway, thanks again for those replies and keep it coming. <g>

P.S. I will try to find a server to hold save games (I may be able to throw them onto a friends FTP server).

[Paul5343]

1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?
Gasbags: max mining, manufacture and spying. Drop diplomacy to nothing. Huge planets get very productive.
2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?
I colonize one green planet in every system I can find as soon as I can. Only colonize yellow/red to seize a strategically valuable system. Later when I have magnates I fill in the gaps. I like 100% race planets as much as possible.
3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?
Recently I am micromanaging DEAs, usually max out mouyntains with mines, 1-2 bioharvest in the lushest regions, at least 1 government, military and rec dea. Fill up with industries and 1-2 research.
4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?
early - destroyer 900 system speed, shield1, 2 3 shot nuclear missile, 2 spinal laser, 3 laser light
mid - battleship 1000 system speed, shield 3 or 4, 10 hard beam pd (I love the green beams) 3 hard beam spinal 4 3 shot missiles, 5 fighters
late - similar to mid but bigger and stealthed.

I only have long range and scouts, which are the same as l/r but with fighters replaced by sensors and ecm

5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.
No, I make trade and research treaties, but nothing else because they come and make colonies in your system if relations are too good.
6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)
I don't take magnates early as I like pure planets. The magnates breed like rabbits while you wait after they have been explored, so later in the game a big population planet can be taken.

[Ron_Lugge]

Originally posted by Doomshade
1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?

Maxed production Meklar - drop everthing to minimum, max mining, industry, cunning, creativity, collective, industrialists, and occasionally tolerant (Drop biodiversity on planet, and when tolerant minerals)

2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?

Unless theres a magnate, I stick strictly to green planets.

3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?

Depends on the planet, and my decision is based on the planet. Good farm areas get farms, good mining areas get mines, and most areas get industry. 1 gov per planet, and often a rec, and usually fill in the blanks with research DEAs.

4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?

Dropped speed CV / IF with some PD. My CVs usually consist of primarily of interceptors with some SCFs in the mix. IFs have 2-3 shot batteries of missiles, all of the same size - usually rocket. Mid to late game I get dropped speed CV / IF with more - or - less the same design, with PD used only as filler. My PD ships (dropped speed) have pure light mounts for PD, usually something smallish (LFG if I have it always takes precedence)

5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.

Yeah. I make peace with those that aren't on today's "menu".

6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)

Er... I take all magnates at once, usually, but I don't understand the question. How can you not dilute their pop when you take them?

7)I would love to see save games available to DL to look at how things are set up specifically (all the sliders, etc). Or even just more screenies.

Wish I could help... Sorry.

[zanzibar]

Originally posted by Doomshade
1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?

Either cybernetic race or tachidi. But I do admit a mild fondness for Raas. Best attributes to have are superior manufacturing, mining, and research, of course!!

2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?

Depends on mineral richness. In the beginning of the game, I usually only colonize yellow 1 and better. Of course, I choose the most rich planets for minerals over the poorer ones. Once I get the tech that allows food on red 1 and better, I colonize those. (of course, usually by that time I have a magnate or 2 in my empire and a few other conquered races, so those reds aren't really red to me...).

3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?

I almost always place my DEAs manually. I usually have 2 bioharvest/planet (except on size 4 and 3 planets), 1 military per planet (for unrest, and some minor planetary base bonuses), if it's the system seat, a gov't. DEA, if not, recreation (if bigger then size 4), at least 2 research, and fill the rest up with mining and industry (equal amounts).

4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?

I use only long range mission ships, recon (so I can build the larger TF's), colony (both system and starship), and troop ships. If I want an all missile ship, I will take one of the long range designs, strip it of all weapons, drop it's system speed to 1, and load it to the gills with missiles (and some point defense). The same goes for carriers. The mission type remains unchanged, as I feel having to place a long-range or short-range attack ship in with my weapons platforms is rather silly.

5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.

Since I almost always play multi-player, I only use "dirty" diplomacy. For example, if someone offers me an non-aggresion pact, I'll make a counter-offer for one of thier planets. If they don't read the message carefully enough, I can usually get some cool free stuff out of it. Better watch your back when you are diplomatic with me ;)

6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)

As soon as I find a magnate planet, I mark the planet for colonozitaion. I make sure the next colony ship I build goes there. If the planet is yellow or red to my race, I definitely set migration so I can get the planet online ASAP. Once it becomes a full colony, of course, I turn off migration so that the magnate race maintains dominance on the planet (this way it's always green or better).

7)I would love to see save games available to DL to look at how things are set up specifically (all the sliders, etc). Or even just more screenies.

Go onto gamespy. Play a multiplayer game. When it's over (or you have enough, or whatever...) load the game as a different empire through the multi-player menu and see what the other player(s) were doing. (of course, just play it as a single player game). There you go!! Your wish is fulfilled!

[The Big Joke]

1)What is your fav race, what do you see as the best attributes to customize and why?
I like the psilons, but il raise Mining and manufacturing to the 2nd best step, droping trade, and diplomacy (psilons are EVIL... at least acording to my playstyle)
2nd is thatchidi (sp), because i simply like how they look, and how people react on them
3rd: Raas! Cute lizards, that works fine for me

2)Do you colonize all SS, G1 and G2 worlds? How about Yel1 and Yel2? Any red?
Always taking the greens when i can, and taking good Yellows and reds, if i feel that i can handle them.

3)What kind of DEA distribution do you have? What is is based on?
On mineral rich worlds: Mines! Mines!
On nice bioharvesting worlds: Bioharvesting!
On larger worlds: Industrys! Always taking a goverment dea, and a military dea, because i dont want revolts.

4)What do a few of your standard ship designs look like (early, mid late game)?
Depends on what i face, usualy im building some small IFs to fend of early scouts that i dont want flying around.

5)Do you use diplomacy to great effect? Why or why not.
Usualy dont get further than Trade and research. But sometimes (like the game im playing now) i have 2 ful alliances (one whith the big bugs, and one whith the sakra)

6)Do you try to take magnates all at once (make 1k pop on planet) or do you not like to dillute their pop at all (i.e.; 95% Darlok 5% Cynoid)
If i understand you right here: The first alternative.

[triller]

7)I would love to see save games available to DL to look at how things are set up specifically (all the sliders, etc). Or even just more screenies.

You can also load your own savegames in Multi Player to see how the AI manages the enemy races. I think of it as the ultimate in spying.

I bet you could even have an enemy make a gift of tech or planet by playing his turn once. Save and exit. Reload as yourself. I haven't tried this (yet) but will this afternoon. I'll post results.

Edit: It does indeed work!!
The downside: The one turn the AI has control of your empire wreaks havoc! Finances, ship designs, MBQs, almost everything I glanced at quickly had been changed from my original strategy. I was gifted 3 techs, but with 400+ planets, repairing AI's damage to my empire renders this ploy quite impractical. Possibly viable in the early game.

[DavidByron]

I have played 10-12 games or so to the 100+ turn and a couple to the 200+ turn level but have yet to finish a game (I micro too much [slow play] and I am always learning new stuff so I start a new game often).

Sounds like me. I have played a lot of games to about turn 75 and more recently I've been studying even shorter periods of time because I've been busy at work. I may be the best micromanager on the board here --- I can beat the production curve of the AI on "impossible" which is very hard to do in this game (making MOO3 pretty much unique).

huge 3 arms (love large maps in all games) w/ many short lanes many extras and 4-8 opponents on easy (still learning the game).

Usuallly leave the defaults (excpt difficulty) so I play large 2-arm 8 AI opponents etc. The empire density makes quite a difference because unlike any other guns vs butter game I'm familiar with attacking other empires early on is profitable to expansion. It was very profitable pre-patch and was definitely superior to "butter". After the patch (v1.2 or 1.25) which you should definitely get, it is much more balance because early kills became harder when the planetary bases where made tougher.

Think of the AI opponents as a resource, but a somewhat dangerous one. As I say their production curve on impossible is immense.

Favourite race
Currently Tachidi because of the large population bonus. If you capture other homeworlds relatively early (<75), or a lot of Magnates, you will quickly find that your starting race is a minority in your own empire. I have to either go with a fast growth race, or refuse to pursue the "guns" approach early on, or simply forget about trying to pic your race as anything but a first 75 turns leader.

For example trade pic is most useful later in the game therefore I drop it to mimium since by later on in the game my empire will mostly be other races EVEN with Tachidi.


I play Cynoid the most with maxed res, mine, ind, creative and middle loyalty thing and nat eng, tolerant, Ant ancest.

Yes, a solid principle is to maximise industrial output, which for Insectoid and Cybernetik means counting your mineral supply. They prefer small planets which tend to have either high gravity or low mineral levels (because the gravity is based off the planet size and mineral level).

However remember that droping a pic to lowest level can really hurt you in that area. eg with Tachidi I can't afford high research levels and I don't think research is a tight constraint in the game (more so now the research is more expensive per level). The ratios for the Research pic is .7 / 1 / 1.3 / 1.6 so moving from lowest to average research is almost a 50% boost, the last 20 points gives less than 25%. More than in most guns vs butter games I find that taking the extreme options for the production related pics is NOT necessarily good.

My Tachidi are:
Bio: average
Mining: max
Industry: max (costs Tachidi only 10 for that last level of Ind or I'd probably take 'good').
research: average
pollution: good
trade: min
creativity: max (means I don't need either diplomacy or spying)
cunning: min
diplomacy: min
loyalty: min as it will go - average
planetary minerals: max
planetary growth: min
government: representative
ground combat: min
specials: none
Orion senate: random

[Longspur]

bimp