AI sneak attacks often

[logic_error]

Just a moment ago I played on a large galaxy, 7 opponents, hard. I tried a colonizing blitz and managed to colonize quite a many systems until the Elerians sneak attacked on me. I really had no fleet, so I couldn't defend at all. I grew tired and quit the game. I had even gave the Elerians tech gifts and avoided annoying them.

Was is just that I was playing with too many opponents on that galaxy and there wasn't enough room for early game expansion? This annoys me because the AI so often attacks on me during my colonizing phase. Is there any good ways to prevent AI sneak attacks in the early game?

[Whoha]

You have to have the fleet, theres no ifs ands or buts about it. Every ai, even one you have a nap with will attack if you have no fleet.

I like it when they attack, it means I get some more planets,unless I'm in the middle of the galaxy surrounded by hostile races. That is very unpleasant.

[vmxa1]

Re: AI sneak attacks often

You did not give us many details. What is your race, are the Elarians Xeno's or what? Where are you in the game?

Did those planets attacked have any defenses? At the early to mid point a good missile base and star base can hold off attackers.
Later it cannot.

Anyway, Whoha is right, if you have no shipping they will eventually come for you.

It will be later at hard than at impossible, most likely, but they will come. It is not quite like civ, in that they will come regardless of the amount of available planets.

This is different than Moo1, where they tend to wait till most of the planets are taken.

The number of players would only alter the time it occurred.

[vmxa1]

So what is your plan on getting warships up? Was it just that you were soon going to start and got caught or did you expect to not build any at all?

I am a big believer in waiting to make ships until I have to, but that point is usually after contact. I may just toss out a few missile cruiser to make them hesitate, until I can build battleships.

I have even made empty battleships to get some respect. I would rarely found a new system witout at least one ship after contact, that is just asking for it. Well I have to confess, I have not played a hard level in awhile, so it may be that you could get away then.

Post a save, I would like to see what was going on.

[logic_error]

Originally posted by vmxa1
So what is your plan on getting warships up? Was it just that you were soon going to start and got caught or did you expect to not build any at all?

Yep, my plan was to soon start building warships after colonizing a few star systems.

I am a big believer in waiting to make ships until I have to, but that point is usually after contact. I may just toss out a few missile cruiser to make them hesitate, until I can build battleships.

I have even made empty battleships to get some respect. I would rarely found a new system witout at least one ship after contact, that is just asking for it. Well I have to confess, I have not played a hard level in awhile, so it may be that you could get away then.

Post a save, I would like to see what was going on.

So maybe building empty cruisers/battleships helps to prevent AI aggressiveness?

[vmxa1]

Yes the AI see hulls and counts them as your fleet. I would not make empty crusier for this purpose, but I guess you could.

I do it for battleships when I am too small to get one built if it is outfitted. Then later I will upgrade it to have weapons.

[vmxa1]

BTW you may want (in the future) use a standard zipper for such a small file, as many do not have WinRar. I had to DL it.

[vmxa1]

Quick look. I would not want to spend resources on a colony ship (CS) for Canopus. As it gets me in contact with more races at a stage that I am not really ready for it.

I would rather use the resources for something else. I am not sure if I would have founded all those systems, but I may have (Enouch & Panthera).

Now you have Enouch making another CS, for what purpose? You cannot defend another one and would be better off switching to cloner/soil/missile base (MB).

I would not be makingany CS's at this point and would want to get those cloners/soil and MB's up first.

Meklon II is making spies endlessly, but could stand to squeeze in an MB somewhere.

[logic_error]

Winrar can write zip files too, but I use rar algorithm because it is more efficient.

[vmxa1]

Now the Elarians will get a planet without making a CS. Now I would either switch to trade and get some BC's before I lose it or rush an MB.

Since you do not have the cash to rush the MB, it is trade. This is the consequences for expanding beyond your ability to defend.
You should either have a fleet or cash before you move to planets that can be in conflict.

You would have cash, but you took -bc, I feel that is best left to experts, if anyone. It will really hurt the early game.

Now any racial picks can be use for fun, but if you are not winning at the given level, I would stay away from some picks.

Cyber is one of those picks. Here you are at T112 or so and have no ships, so what is the value of Cyber at this point? Zero.

Four picks could have done a lot of good by now. Say RHW or +R or +P or even AHW or +grow.

[vmxa1]

Man you have 5 leaders already, wow. I am use to repulsive and not having any at this time is common. Anyway, why not send one or two to a system? Enouch has a starbase and should be able to defend itself.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by logic_error
Winrar can write zip files too, but I use rar algorithm because it is more efficient.

I understand, but my point is that many here will not have WinRar and not be able to do anything with it and it is only a 204KB file. I would not even zip such a small file. Why make work for a tiny saving?

[vmxa1]

I think the thing to recognize is that this race has only the uni trait to help with production. This is not a strong production race and is weak on research.

I suspect that you may conclude that a creative race is a strong research race, but it is not. You have no boost to pop and none for research, such as Aqua or Dem or others.

No +R or P or Growth. So this race wil not get research done quickly or build things quickly, until it get lots of the tech done to gain RL/Comps/Labs, then AF/Robo. It will need lots of planets to offset these lacking traits. Remember it will not be able to use the morale boosting techs.

It does have Missiles and Garrisons to use to hold off attackers early and then battlestations. So if you do get a planet and get up MB's and other defenses early you will probably be able to hold the planet.

So a slow expansion is required to give you time to get defense and finally a fleet to provide that time. Cash will help in this effort.

You will need to get AF's and RL's up asap on all new planets, this means money.

[Dry]

Originally posted by logic_error
So maybe building empty cruisers/battleships helps to prevent AI aggressiveness?

It helps indeed.
But having a fleet is not enough, you need to have it on the system you want to defend.
When I have a system so close to potential enemies, I usually bring back my empty hull scouts there.
Not only does it make the AI hesitate, but you may always refit one of them in case of urgency.

[Dry]

I agree with vmxa1 that cyber is a lost of picks. Esp with Uni.
Keep Cyber for non-uni races.