Beginner Settings

[The Bloody Baro]

Hello All,

I've been playin Moo2 for about a month now. Mostly just messing around. But now i want to play a game to win. What settings/race should i have.

Thanx

[vmxa1]

Well it depends on what you have already learned. If you have just a limited knowledge of the game and tactics, it is one thing, if oyu have played a number of games at say avg level, it is another.


Here is a doc that may be useful:

[The Bloody Baro]

I've played a lot games... but mostly just blasting anything that looks at me the wrong way. Haven't won a lot of those. But the next game i'm planning i want to win.

[vmxa1]

Here is a guide to address strategies:

[vmxa1]

Addition:

Strategy Guide v2.01

Universe Creation Guide

What technology level you start at can also affect the overall difficulty, depending on your chosen race (or race's advantages/disadvantages)... There are 3 technology levels to start the game.
PRE-WARP probably the easiest of all, as long as you are at "average" difficulty level or below. If you have a research modifier such as "+2 research", "Creative", "Democracy", or even "Artifacts Home world", this will be the easiest selection for you no matter what your difficulty level.
AVERAGE starts you out with a colony ship and the basic drive and fuel cells. If you don't really have any advantages or disadvantages with researching, then this is probably the way to go.
ADVANCED starts you out with technology based on your race and difficulty level, a few colonies already established, and a fleet that takes up all your "command points". This level is basically for races that have disadvantages in research, such as "-1 Research",
"Uncreative", "Feudal", or even "Low-G". Also starting out at this level helps if you've got the "Pre-Warp" section down, and need to work on diplomatic relations (since you can contact the other players on this level).

Starting Out (new game)

First, I assume your starting with "Pre Warp", which requires being pickier with your technology. I suggest you take all your workers and put them researching Research Labs after Electronic Computer. This makes the beginning much easier, because you can then take all your scientists and assign them to something else while still generating some RP per turn. Next is Nuclear Drive if you are starting out at "Pre-Warp". Then I suggest you research Standard Fuel Cells, and build a Frigate for scouting (if you are not Omniscient). If you have "Tactical Combat" selected, take off the weapons on the Frigate
design to build it a little faster.

If there is a good planet in your starting solar system, colonize it using a Colony Base. Otherwise, research Colony Ship, and then build one. When you build a Colony Ship, go find a planet to colonize ASAP. Also note that systems guarded by Space Monsters usually contain a very good planet, or a few good planets. The Orion star system, which is in every game and always guarded by the Orion Guardian, always has in it an "Ultra Rich Huge Gaia" class planet and an asteroid belt.
Defeating the Orion Guardian gives you some technology increases, an extra officer (if you have room), and a super Battleship called "Avenger". You can pick planets for different "purposes". There are generally 3 types of planets... "Construction" planets, (usually Rich or better, and a medium or better size)...
"Farming" planets, where the empire's food needs are met (usually Terran or better, and a medium or better size)...
And "Research" planets, a colony devoted to getting Research Points (usually around Abundant, better with "Ancient Artifacts", and a medium or better size).

So you have a new colony

Now that you have a new colony, I suggest you build stuff for the colony in a certain order, and according to "what type" of colony you have.

All (types of) Colonies
- Transport 1 or 2 colonists over first, make sure not to go into "negative freighter fleets"
- Marine Barracks (eliminates morale penalty for Feudal and Dictatorships)
- Cloning Center (+growth for larger planets)
- Automated Factory (+production)
- Pollution Processor (+production)
- Research Lab (+research)
- Hydroponic Farms (+total food)
- Robo-Miner Plant (+production)
- Holo Simulator (+morale)

Construction colonies - Anything that increases worker production (+production) OR reduces pollution (Robotic Factory, Astro University, Atmospheric Renewer, etc.)
Farming colonies - Anything that increases farmer production (+food) (Soil Enrichment, Astro University, Weather Controller, etc.)
Research or "Artifacts" colonies - Anything that increases research (+research) (Supercomputer, Galactic Cybernet, etc.)
Large (15-20 max pop.) colonies - Make sure they build Cloning Center first. If you don't have the technology, then build
Housing until you're at least half full.
Smaller (2-5 max pop.) colonies - Just "transport" some colonists from another colony over here, as many as needed WITHOUT
going into negative freighter fleets (it takes 5 freighters to transfer 1 colonist unit)

Relating with the other races

To fully understand the other computer-controlled races, you must realize that they are computer-controlled to kind of act like a real person in the scenario would, not a player. Unless you are really strapped for cash, you will probably want to make a "Trade Treaty" and a "Research Treaty" with the other races. They may not want to do it first, give them very low-end technology or small sums of BC to make them trust you more. After you get those two treaties, go for a "Non-Aggression Pact"...unless you did something to really piss 'em off, they will accept. After this, they will probably start to trust you more and more as long as you don't do something to make them mad or overly nervous. Here are a few things that can make them mad...

- Stealing technology (using a spy, "Espionage")
- Spying too much
- Destroying something using a spy (will usually make them REAL mad)
- Attacking them (usually leads to war)
- Building too many colonies in their systems (unless you have an "Alliance")
- Ignoring them (choosing the option "Ignore")
- Never giving them a break (never giving them what they want)
- Contacting them too much
- Being in war (if you are in war, they usually "Hate" you)
- Being too friendly with an enemy
- Having an Alliance with an enemy (they usually are pretty uneasy then)
- Sending too many ships of any kind in their territories and keeping them there
- Demanding too much
- Random events

This is only a small list. Note that spy actions can sometimes be blamed on other races (if you are good enough), and sometimes other races can blame you. Now let's see what makes them happy...

- Trading Technology with them, especially ones they want
- Giving them Technology (I suggest mostly useless or low-end tech, like Biospheres, Spaceport, etc.)
- Entering into a treaty
- Being in a treaty long enough
- Monetary Gifts (This usually works best if your relations are strained, or they need money)
- Other Gifts (Unless you're spineless, don't give them your systems)
- Attacking their enemies
- Going into wars with their enemies
- Random events

This is also only a small list. Let's talk about the ability to report on your enemy. When you select "Report" at the Races screen, you can click on another race to see information about them. All of their technology researched, how many spies they have against you, what wars/alliances they are in, and what their overall "style" is. The "style" is probably the most ambiguous. It's usually a combination of two words. The first word represents their diplomatic style. The second word represents their "focus". Your opponents know the only viable way to win is to defeat everyone else...including you!

If another race is lacking colonies, and can't seem to find any good ones, they may come knock on your doorstep to colonize an unoccupied planet in one of your systems. Note that they cannot colonize an Outpost of yours, and they usually do not colonize a system with a ton of defenses or a fleet orbiting it.

If you have a race like the Psilons, with a lot of technology, you won't ever need to use "Espionage" to gain technology, you can usually just "Exchange Technology" with the other race, if you really think you need that item. First look at your technology list and see what level the technology is, if it can be obtained by your self easily enough. Such things as Terraforming, Gravity Generator, and Planetary Radiation Shield are must-haves, as well as better Fuel Cells (Deuterium, Iridium, etc.). If you are using a race that stinks with technology, send tons 'o spies off to steal technology from your enemies (but your diplomacy with these races may take a big dive depending on your spying ability).

In Masters of Orion II, you are a leader of a relatively small empire. Your goal is be leader of the entire galaxy. In Machevelli's "The Prince", it is said "The end justifies the means". This is totally true in Masters of Orion II. Usually what I do is gain the other race's trust, and wait a while, while I let them squabble amongst themselves, but don't let one race destroy another (if you see one losing too badly, join them, and then make a peace treaty). As in the real world, wars don't go until the enemy is totally destroyed, unless one has real superior military power. You must keep everyone alive and semi-happy until you gain enough power to start picking them off. Start with the weakest (and hopefully making another race or two join in with you), and wait a while before starting on another. Don't wait too long...you won't like the results!

As well, if a race asks you for some technology or you ask them, make sure it is a good trade! If they want a high-end technology (like Terraforming or Titan Construction) and they'll give you/you want a lower-end technology (like Xeno Psychology or Battlestation), don't take the deal! Unless you really want that technology they're offering!

[vmxa1]

So pick a race and settings and follow some of the concepts. If you find that is not working out to well, post the race and settings you tried.

[The Bloody Baro]

aight thanx

[The Bloody Baro]

I've created my race and settings and have gone with the following picks.

Easy, Large, Average, 4 players, PreWarp, Tactical.
My race is as follows:

-Def, -Att, -GC, -Spy, Sub, Lithovore, and +1 Ind.

I've got a pretty good system with 2 other habitable planets. I've colonized one. I've also grabbed Research Labs and Physics. My save game is enclosed. Thanks for all the help. Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[vmxa1]

Well you have a monster rich planet in your system that can be colonized with a colony base. I would rather see you build a CB than housing with a planet of that size.

If you finish and have nothing to build, I would house with only one woker and the rest researching.

I would house the new planet with its only worker and not build a barracks until I got more pop. You may even move pop to the HW until it is full.

You may consider not researching colony ships right now as you do not have the tech to fly yet.

Maybe either do the learn to fly techs first or even race for AF and then do fly. That way you get a scout out before you try to build the CS.

Let the planets prebuild for AF with a spy or any item you have. So one worker builds it and switches when you get the tech. You can rushg buy it if you do not have enough of a pre.

[The Bloody Baro]

Aight, uhm so u want me to colonize that world in Draconis that's huge? What bout the Heavy G penalty?

[vmxa1]

Well it will not be as good as it could be, but in little while you will have a very nice planet. Not to mention that you have very little for the HW to do right now anyway. So if you use 1 or so workers to build the CB and the rest on research you can get to AF quickly.

If the CB is done, put the new planet on housing and let it build up. If you get AF first, switch the CB to AF and then start a new CB. The AF will be finished in one turn and the rest of the production will go back on to the CB. Do not queue them. In this way you will have the boost from the AF and the CB will be close to the same completion time.

Move new pop from the new planets to the HW, until it is full. Then let the new planets build up some pop (2 or 3) before going on to build structures.

Rush buy any you can such as RL and AF on the new planets. The HW should have production saved to finish those things in 1 or 2 turns anyway.

Always have an item in the queue for prebuilds of key structures. Start them (prebuilds) with enough lead time to finish the item quickly. Such items as Robos and Labs.

[The Bloody Baro]

Aight thanx... I'd say i'm doing pretty good right now.... The Klackon are in a war with the Bulrathi. I have a research and trade agreement with the Bulrathi so i figured it'd b a good idea to go knock down the Klackon... maybe grab some planets while i'm at it. The planet in my save game thats on the farthest right of my empire is one i took recently in my war with the bugs. Also with my current tech what do you think i should build my ships on.

Thanx

[vmxa1]

Let me look.

[vmxa1]

Ok here is a few quick ideas.
1- get the super comps research asap
2- Drac Prime has trade 3rd in queue with terraforming not done
(this is what you get from queuing things up. I would never queue anything. I want to evaluate the next item each turn.)
3- Hali III does not need a Space Academy. It should never build ships.
4- Drac III all pop on industry with trade? Put all but one on research, if they have nothing to build.
5- Procyon has agrave gen next. it will take 121 turns, put an AF first. Again the queuing up leads to these things.
6- Schiff buy that AF
7- no AMC tech? You are not a tele, so you need this unless you intend to bomb all planets.
8- CP is way to negative. It cost you 80BC per turn right now. Donot make more troops than you will use if you are short on CP's.

Unload them onto a planet, if oyu do not intend to attack soon. Better yet scrap a few ships and go with fewer, but bigger ones.

Redesign your ships and they will be better. To me I would be hesitant to use beam with a +25 comp. It is not effective.

[vmxa1]

Make the cruiser with pods and drop all beams and the comp.

The BB has pods so just drop the beams and comps. Use some nukes with mods up front and then Merc. Make all 2 shot missiles. You do not want to hang around for more than two rounds.

Bring one empty ship to stay behind as it runs out of the way and waits for the missiles to land.