Start Pre-Warp; this gives you a jump on all the AI races as they do not immediately research the right stuff.
If starting in standard, you already have a colony ship. Build a freighter fleet before founding a new colony; new colony does not have to farm.
Research Completed Items Built 1) Research Hydroponic Farm, Build Hydroponic Farm Always 2) Research Chemistry, Build Scout/Colony base Always 3) Research Nuclear Fission Always 4) Research Cold Fusion Always 5) Research Automated Factory, Build Automated Factory Always Crank out Colony ships 6) Research Electronics 7) Research Optronics for Research Lab, Build Research LabAfter lab, what ever you need most...
Choosing a Research Topic can be a difficult question. Research Topics are relative and usually chosen by reviewing what is happening in your current game. Look at the situation and choose what you need.
After Robo-miner plant, whatever you need most...
Classes are:
TINY: tol = 2 SMALL: tol = 4 MEDIUM: tol = 6 LARGE: tol = 8 HUGE: tol = 10When total industrial output exceeds tolerance, a portion of output is used to clean up resulting pollution.
Formula is as follows: (Total Production - Tolerance) / 2
Example: if colony is generating 24 units of production on a huge world; 24 10 (tolerance) = 14.
14 / 2 = 7 units of industry required to clean up pollution.
The actual industrial output is: 17 UNITS, OR 24-7.
Tolerance of planet can be used to find the break-even points on pollution before advancements are researched. Lower levels of production give higher efficiency.
Break-even point: 50%, or ½ of all output used to clean up pollution.
100 units of production: (100-6)/2 = 47 used to clean up.
53 actual units are produced. Production ratio = 53%
50 units of production: (50-6)/2 = 22 used to clean up.
28 actual units are produced. Production ratio = 56%
25 units of production: (25-6)/2 = 10 used to clean up.
15 actual units are produced. Production ratio = 60%
12 units of production: (12-6)/2 = 3 used to clean up.
9 actual units are produced. Production ratio = 75%
Get as many planets as you possibly can before running into another race. If you have a big fleet, you don't need Diplomats or Xeno psychology! Make your ships with fusion beams, mass drivers, and nuclear missiles. You can upgrade them later. These weapons work in early game battles and your fleet will intimidate the AI. This is the real way to win on Hard and Impossible Game settings.
Planets come in 5 flavours:
1) Ultra poor: 1 base unit of production per colonist 2) Poor: 2 base units of production per colonist 3) Abundant: 3 base units of production per colonist 4) Rich: 5 base units of production per colonist 5) Ultra Rich: 8 base units of production per colonistRace modifiers and abilities apply next.
+1 or +2 production increases output of each worker by 1 or 2 units.
Unification government increases output of each worker by 50%.
What are production units? On build screen, it is build cost. If a ship costs 1000, it takes 1000 units of industry to build it. 100 units will take 10 turns, 200 units will take 5 turns, etc...
Advances that increase production: Microlite Construction.
Morale: for all you dictators, yes, if you are creative and max out morale, an Imperium will produce more than a Unification based government. Problem is, it usually takes too long and the bugs will eat you.
Low-gee reduces industrial output on normal and high-gee worlds.
Robo-Miner Plant: +2 production per worker; an additional +10 production for the colony.
Recyclotron: 1 unit of production per colonist on planet; no pollution generated. If you are creative and wish to boost production, you should build them.
Robotic Factory: +5 production on ultra poor, +8 production on poor, +10 on abundant, +15 on rich, and +20 on ultra rich. Independent of number of colonists.
Deep Core Mine: +3 production per worker; an additional +15 for the colony.
Example of production: An Ultra rich medium world with 15 tolerant colonists. No pollution is generated.
W/O Unification Unification Galactic Unification No structures: 120 units 180 units 240 units Automated Factories: 140 units 200 units 260 units Robo-miner plant: 180 units 240 units 300 units Robotic factory: 200 units 260 units 320 units Deep Core Mine: 240 units 300 units 360 units (yikes) Recyclotron adds +15 units W/O Unification Unification Galactic UnificationPlease note that Robotic Factory and Recyclotron are the least useful buildings. However, Robotic Factory is a good colony starter.
The AI played Silicoids win a lot on hard and impossible because of no pollution penalty.
Make sure that you are tough!
Robert H. Bantly III