What to Build and Research first - Master of Orion 2 - Microprose

Rule #1 for Winning this Game: Read the entire Game Manual completely and Read the Prima Strategy Guide!!! Both have vital information in them.

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.

Beginning Ladder

< What to research and what to build in a PRE-WARP game. This is a general list and does not take into account different racial attributes. It is intended as a general guide.

   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 Lab

After 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.

New Colony Build List

Marine barracks or automated factory.
Automated Factory increases the output of the single colonist.
Hydroponic Farm: +2 food, now your colonist has corn to eat.
Robo-miner Plant: another production increaser.

After Robo-miner plant, whatever you need most...

Neat tricks to increase the money coming from your Colonies

If your colony has reached maximum population, scrap the cloning center! To increase research or food output for a turn, buy something. When you buy production, it is done. Take the workers and move them to research or farming (extra food generates extra BC's). This gives you a turn of free research, etc., since the project is bought and paid for.

Dealing with Production and Pollution

Planetary Pollution Tolerance = Size Class x 2

Classes are:

TINY:   tol =  2
SMALL:  tol =  4
MEDIUM: tol =  6
LARGE:  tol =  8
HUGE:   tol = 10

When 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 � 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%

Fixing Pollution Problems

Pollution processor (650 rp): reduces total production 50% for pollution calculation. If total output is 25 industrial units, processor makes it 12 for pollution calculation. This item does not do much for you above 50 units.
Atmosphere renewer (1150 rp): reduces total colony production by 75% for pollution calculation. If both processor and renewer are in place, pollution is calculated for only 12.5% of total industrial output.
Nano Disassemblers (2000 rp): double planet's pollution tolerance.
Core Waste Dump (3500 rp): no pollution at all.

Points to Ponder

Larger planets make better factory worlds.
You must research and build some pollution control equipment.
Tolerant is well worth the 10 points it costs when designing a race!
Do not worry too much about waste in early game. You need to build stuff! Above 25 units of industry, doubling number of workers will double production. Just be aware that it is wasteful.
Pointer: get merculite missiles, and then atmosphere renewer. It is a better deal than the pollution processor.

Production: The High and Mighty Holiest of Holies in MOO II

The Importance of a Strong Military

It is important to build a fleet early in the game (usually prior to 3515). The reason is that when you run into other races, the AI judges your "toughness" on how many ships you have. Diplomacy can work, but not in the case of the Silicoids or the Sakkra. The only thing they respect is a strong blow to the head with a blunt instrument. Besides, these early ships can be overhauled, and the crews will eventually reach elite or ultra-elite status, making them even more effective.

The Big Mistake

The most common and most deadly mistake made while playing MOO II is too much early research. Do NOT wait to build colony ships until you have pollution control equipment. You can be sure the Sakkra aren't! Do not wait for Plasma Cannon and Class V shield to build Warships. The Klackons are making them right now!

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 colonist

Race 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.

Buildings that increase Production

Automated Factory: +1 production per worker; an additional +5 production for the colony.

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 Unification

Please 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