Strategy tips on moo1

[Gilgamensch]

One thing about the stacks:

What I normally do, to get rid of those stacks, is using a 'little' bug.

As I don't upgrade always my colony-ship, I put one with 'each' fleet, this fleet is using HEF and Repulsor-beam(?). The small ships have really a gun with range 2, so they try to get in (onto the col-ship) get moved back by the repulsor and you get again a free shot. You just have to make sure, that nobody can reach your col-ship (should have repulsor as well). The AI always seems to go for the old-design, if it can't hurt the 'monsters'.

Same by the way for MB. They first go for the fleet and then for the planet, only exception being the biological weapons.

And Yes, Auto-whatever is the first choice for HEF. A nice extra is also the sub-space-teleporter as you could 'downgrade' your engine to 1, it gives you always the first move (initiative) and you can jump across the map.

Those strats are actually more for the end-game.

For the beginning, it is really expand as quickly as possible and again towards the enemy.

I actually like to play with the Psilons, even as they aren't so good at fighting. But I like winning through tech more. They give you a damned hard time in the beginning, but if you are left alone for a while........

The Bulrathis are also a nice choice: what's in your way, conquer.

Another thing, if you have a weak race next to you, don't destroy them completly as you still can 'use' them for research. Just destroy there fleets and keep spying on them. OK if they are to far back, get rid of them.

Another feature, which is quite useful and I think not documented is F8/F9, shows you your planets under attack. This I am missing in MoO2 , sorry for being 'off'-topic........

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Gilgamensch

And Yes, Auto-whatever is the first choice for HEF. A nice extra is also the sub-space-teleporter as you could 'downgrade' your engine to 1, it gives you always the first move (initiative) and you can jump across the map.

Watch out using the nuclear engine or what ever low level one you have combined with the subspace teleporter. If you run into a planet with sub space interdictor you will revert to the engine speed.
I never use teleporters after I had this run in, years ago. You just do not need them and I would rather have more guns. Besides, I often do not have that tech.

[Gilgamensch]

vmxa1,

that's correct. Also kind of contra-design is using sub and cloakind-device, the repulsor isn't reacting to cloaked ships.
OK for the sub space indicator (too long) is blocking it. But for this I use the spying function. But the thing is that the teleporter is having less weight than the engines, so you could pack far more weapons on.....

[Urban Ranger]

The Klacs is probably the best race. I am not any good with the Sakkras so Psilon is next one. The Bulrathis aren't bad, but their bonus is kinda useless except in ground combat, so that means it won't be useful most of the time.

[Gilgamensch]

Bulrathis and not good????

As you can 'easily' invade any planet, you can keep up in research via conquering. But it only works for a real agressive strategie. It's not so much about destroying, just take part by part. They got new tech, go in capture and learn. It is kind of different thinking, no 'builder'-strat at all. Klackons are 'similar', you just win the batte's more in space than on ground.

Psilons, you need a peacefull time to strengthen your tech. It depends a lot on your starting position. If you have the wrong race in the wrong slot, you are doomed...............

Worst AI-opponent is for me the Human, if you don't keep him small he wins by charm

[vmxa1]

True, the Humans can be voted in if you are not careful.

[Gilgamensch]

Whenever I find the humans, I try to keep them small. If you don't they 'charm' the rest into voting for them.

The other races are not so much of a problem (for the voting) as they don't get so much support. Their enemies are not voting for them (normally) it changes a bit on impossible.

But one thing is really, best is to start in a corner, not directly, but close, less frontiers.......

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Gilgamensch
Bulrathis and not good????

As you can 'easily' invade any planet, you can keep up in research via conquering. But it only works for a real agressive strategie. It's not so much about destroying, just take part by part. They got new tech, go in capture and learn. It is kind of different thinking, no 'builder'-strat at all. Klackons are 'similar', you just win the batte's more in space than on ground.

Not exactly - you can only do that after you beat the defenses, which would be hard if you aren't up to par with tech. If I want to steal tech, Darloks are far better.

Originally posted by Gilgamensch
Psilons, you need a peacefull time to strengthen your tech. It depends a lot on your starting position. If you have the wrong race in the wrong slot, you are doomed...............

That's true, but holds for every race no matter which one you use. One game I started as the Klacs and found an ultra-rich Terran planet with max 110 pop. Needless to say I had the game in the game by turn 2.

[Gilgamensch]

Early in the game you can easily 'bypass' the defence. So long there isn't a shield, most/all of your transports will land on the planet and start fighting. The AI has normally not a good enough fleet to detroy it's own ex-colonie, so you might be able to keep it. Thanks to th efact that you conquered a planet with industry and getting there tech, you 'don't care' about the possible loss of population. Also you weakened his ability to produce and research. Helps quite well.

Never happened to me

My Ultra's are normally toxic/radioactive........... so for late game......

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Gilgamensch
Early in the game you can easily 'bypass' the defence. So long there isn't a shield, most/all of your transports will land on the planet and start fighting. The AI has normally not a good enough fleet to detroy it's own ex-colonie, so you might be able to keep it. Thanks to th efact that you conquered a planet with industry and getting there tech, you 'don't care' about the possible loss of population. Also you weakened his ability to produce and research. Helps quite well.

Never happened to me

My Ultra's are normally toxic/radioactive........... so for late game......

What type of game and at what point are we talking about here?
Early in the game if you are close enough to sent troops then you can take the planet, but will not hold it in many cases. I mean, early contact means a small map to me or a strange draw.
So if no shields (as would be the case early) and if we are tlaking about a fairly new colony, other wise if it is fully populated, they will start getting missile bases.
You can take it, but the AI always has more ships than me until I am on the rampage to finish the game. This means they can send ships and I can not. I will be playing hard or impossible so they wil be ahead of me early in the game. I will not be making any ships until I am forced to, that will be when an attack is coming or I feel I need one large ship to hold a new planet.
I will not be taking a fully develop planet for a long time. The AI will be sending troops to that planet right away, so I will be hard press to hold it even if they do not send ships. Often I look at a planet that is being colonized and has say 20 out of 70 pop. I sent troops to it and they have already sent more troops, usually large numbers 40-60. Since I am behind in tech, I am not likely to stop them. This is what I see in most games.

[Yolky]

Originally posted by nato
Wow thats cool. Amazing to me, I totally rely on the BHG.

Not to badger you, but from your post I have one more question. You say you have your missile bases use scatter packs. I have tried this. When I have 5 pack selected, the missiles fly up to the target, and then seem to do absolutely NOTHING. Is there something about scatter pack I am missing? Do they actually work?

Also, about scatter packs. What are they for? Is it correct that scatter are for use against large stacks of little ships, and normal missiles are for use against big ships? Do scatter packs on ships work any better than missile base ones?

Sorry for the questions, but scatter packs are kind of a mystery to me.

Scatter pach missles are regulare missles but X4 if I remeber correctly. I use them all the time.

Who were you shooting the missles at? you have to remeber to scan there ship and see what there missle defence is. If it is higher than your missiles they won't do squat. They can also have anti-missle rack, lightning shield generator etc.

hope this helps.

Davor

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by nato
When I have 5 pack selected, the missiles fly up to the target, and then seem to do absolutely NOTHING. Is there something about scatter pack I am missing? Do they actually work?

They do work, but a couple of things. Don't confuse Scatter Pack V with Hyper Rocket V. Second thing is, when missile scatters the warheads are weaker. They can do more damage depending on the defenses (shields, ECM, etc.) of the enemy ships. If the scatter packs do nothing, switch to regular missiles to punch through defenses.

Originally posted by nato
Also, about scatter packs. What are they for? Is it correct that scatter are for use against large stacks of little ships, and normal missiles are for use against big ships? Do scatter packs on ships work any better than missile base ones?

Scatter packs do more damge in total but don't go through defenses as well because the warheads are lesser missiles.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by nato
Wow thats cool. Amazing to me, I totally rely on the BHG.

Not to badger you, but from your post I have one more question. You say you have your missile bases use scatter packs. I have tried this. When I have 5 pack selected, the missiles fly up to the target, and then seem to do absolutely NOTHING. Is there something about scatter pack I am missing? Do they actually work?

Also, about scatter packs. What are they for? Is it correct that scatter are for use against large stacks of little ships, and normal missiles are for use against big ships? Do scatter packs on ships work any better than missile base ones?

Sorry for the questions, but scatter packs are kind of a mystery to me.

I must have missed this some how. Anyway this has been covered now by others, but he is my perspective.
5 packs, what are we really talking about here? Hyper rocket V? Missiles that have 5 shot packs? Scatter Pack 5?
Scatter Pack 5 is a mirved Hyper missile with 5 warheads. When I first get it, it will chew up the ships at that time, but is slow. Once they get move 3 ships they are less useful. I may use missiles on the missile bases then. It depends on what they sent and what missiles I have. If I have only Hyper X, then I am forced to use the scatter packs anyway. If I have Stingers, then I will use them.
Scatter Pack VII are mivered Hyper X missile (IIRC) and have 7 war heads. This are very good for a long time. Later very fast ships can avoid them for a time, but they will do damage. At this stage, it will be hard for me to destroy their attacking ships as they will retreat, IF I have superior shields. If not I may be in trouble.
Scatter Pack X is so late as to not really be a factor, but they are going to really hurt. They are mirved 10 war heads that are stingers. So it is 10 stingers for each missile the base has to shoot. At this stage ships will attack the planet and see what you have and retreat immediately most of the time. In that case the only missles that may get in a hit are Zeon and they usually will not reach in time. You will need ships to get them or to act as decoys.
Missile bases missiles will not fail to reach their target and hence will not disappear. This makes me think you are talking about missiles launched from ships. If so then of course the attackers can back up and get out of the range of missiles that are not capable of reaching the other side of the map.
This may or may not be what you want to have happen.
If a decoy ship all I want is for them to back up so the MB can get in another round. If I have large ships on scene I may want some of the attackers to back up to give my large ships another round with out taking damage form that fleet.
I do not use missile ships to do damage, only to back up attackers. This is why I only give them 1 slot ith missles.

[nato]

I just want to say a quick, belated thanks for all the answers on scatter packs. There was a lot there I didn't know about them.

[Yolky]

Originally posted by nato
I just want to say a quick, belated thanks for all the answers on scatter packs. There was a lot there I didn't know about them.

Glad to help out if I did at all

Davor