Custom Race- Best Stats?

[Garth Vader]

I tend to play on average tech, I haven't played many games with pre-warp in a LONG time (Although my first few hundred games I was always using it).

I accept that taking tech bonuses would be more of an advantage to get to the 900RP point faster.

But surviving to that point is easier with MB and FG and all the goodies creative gets you.

I have faced 4-6 BB early and I often lose with just a cruiser, but will win with a cruiser and a MB

[vmxa1]

Garth, I am sorry, I forgot to mention a key factor in my position and that is this is for a huge map. So most of the time you can survive at the starting planets with just the Star base, unless they can blockade me. A MB will not help me in a blockade. When I do have MB they of course will not attack, but just sit on me. Most of these problems are of my own doing as I do not build ship at the start (unless tele). Once in a while they will attack the star base with less than enough to carry it off. If I get in a blockade, I can usually get a ship or two and attack their fleet and pick off one and fleet and do that until they are dead or leave. This tactic is very painful for the AI as they have lost a big investment are now in jeapordy to others attacking them. I wish I had the mindset to use the more aggressive style as I think it can be used for a quicker victory, but it is not to be. Anyway I still do not see a strong case for creative as the easy win strategy. It may be at an adv tech start as them you have BS, I almost never have them until the game is near over. The games you post awhile back are a good example, my style did not let me get as many planets as fast as you did. I looked at one of those games and saw all the exposed planets and cringed.

[Garth Vader]

I usually play huge map as well, but don't usually take + production or tech because I usually only colonize a few extra systems. By then the AI is all around and it's easier to just conquer. On impossible they usually have + bonuses and are better than my people.

I'd like to see some of your saved games. I never thought I was that exposed because I never can afford the command points to properly garrison much.

[vmxa1]

Next time I fire up a game. What do you want for a race? I am messing around with Mom right now, so probably over the weekend. At what points do want to see them? I conquer, but do not start until after t200. One planet and secure it and then on to the next episode.

[Garth Vader]

Whatever is fairly typical for you. Save real early, when you are ready to start expanding, and when war starts.

I have been playing around with pre-warp and I remember why I stopped playing it. I understand your race picks a bit more now.

The AI expands like mad. Compared to average tech I seem to meet them only a little later, but without the free colony ship I usually have only 1 or 2 colonies. Everyone I meet has 5-6 systems and who knows how many colonies

You'd love my current game. I took creative, subterranean, +1 tech, +1 industry, lowg, -spy, -GC.

I had a horrible start place, blocked in by a black hole and the Sakkra. At one point they had 10 systems to my one(I had a colony base though). They declared war when I had 3 systems. They got heavyG as a freebie, and somehow researched Battleoids and powered armor.

Ship-Ship combat is going well, they attacked a colony that was defended with GB, MB, FG and a battleship and 2 cruisers. I lost the cruisers and the FG, but took out a column and a half of battleships (I don't remember how many can fit in a column on the tac screen).

But taking colonies is a hoot with the 4 hit battleoids. At this stage the win is assured it's just slow going.

[vmxa1]

Yeah that sounds about right. You see what I was saying about creative, it is tough at first and you can get hurt, but then it is time to turn the corner and creative is a monster at that stage.

That is why I listed saks in my top three as they can be a hand full and make the going very rough in the beginning. So fast to expand, while it is very hard for you to get more colonies and hold them. In a prewarp smaller universe with 8 players, you can get killed. That no colony ship to start is brutal. If you have a real bad home with one poor toxic small planet, life can get very homely.
One of the best features about Moo2, is that it plays differently at different settigns. PreWarp/Adv, small/huge, Hard/Impossible and the number of players can make you change your play or suffer.

[vmxa1]

I think if you look back at a few of my detail post you will see I have often run into a race with 10 systems to my 1 or 2 and they made me suffer for a long time. It is that point where I have to hang on and get strong enough to make a move that I get my satisfaction. Being able to come from the big defict and take over is the fun part.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
But taking colonies is a hoot with the 4 hit battleoids. At this stage the win is assured it's just slow going.

That should be fun. 4 hits and you have -gc. Now picture it wil out creative, so no powered armour, no battletoids, no gun unless or until you steal it, maybe I go for plasma rifle instead of cannon at that point as I am suffering. this often my situation, That is why I look hard for a commando officer.

[Garth Vader]

Yeah even with creative I am only a little above +75 to +65 I have 2 commando leaders at least.

If I wasn't creative and not telepathic I would be bombing everything. Nothing would be worth this bloodbath!

[vmxa1]

Cheer up, I nearly lost my game on turn 162. The sillies attacked with 6 ships and I just finished my 1st cruiser that turn. I could not even get my leader onboard. I had my unarmed scout. For the first time in I can not remember, I took fighter garrison and barel survived. I saw my map and knew I would be neededing it. The war is on so here is the games.

[vmxa1]

Here is were war started. I gave you t40 (may not be the exact turn), in case you wanted to change tactics before you get buried. I should have and now I will have much to do.
Will be going into steal mode now.

PS
Will I was too busy with MoM and messed this one up. It is a real nightmare and I am not sure it can be saved.
I have had to beat off many attacks of 5-8 ships and it has been a pain. My fleet is growing so, I will soon be able to expand again. I have gotten a few useful steals by loading up on spies and buy replacement for structures that got destroyed during attacks.
I backed up to the T40 and changed it around to grab battle stations. The sillies were makign my life miserable. I tried a different set of picks and they are not so good. I want to see if a change of plan will make a big difference, so far it has by making them start the war much latter.

[Garth Vader]

Thanks, I'll give it a try when I get home!

[vmxa1]

This little experiment has pointed out how big the impact is of the start position and the closest races. I slapped together another race to see how long it took to get into trouble and had the Trils as neighbors. Even though they killed many spies, I was able to steal from them and no action so far. This allows a much better start.

[Garth Vader]

I really wanted to try playing from your first save, but for some reason everytime I got the laser cannon tech it wiped out all but one of the ship design slots so I could only design one ship.

I don't think that would be a convienent way to play.

Any idea what happened?

[vmxa1]

Sorry you said early, I did not know you meant t1. I will start a new one. What do you mean by wiped out old designs? It does not have anything to do with this being XP, does it. You were able to load and play it, so I guess not. Are you talking about t40? What occurred, were you loading in a save ship design and then losing them?