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Nakar Gabab
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of Pedantic Nitpicking
May 2001
time: 00:35
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I can really turn a game around when I try. Transcend-level against the AI, I've got no trouble pulling into dominance after a while (and IA!). In PBEMs, my team usually does quite well with builds and often comes into its own in the midgame (though we don't generally win). But I have a problem, a big problem.
I see these insanely fast starts, people getting to IA or just getting well-established ages before I've even passed a handful of bases. I'm always misjudging growth, never sure what to build, how much to dedicate to defense or police, etc. In short, my startup sucks, and while I can recover once there are more tools available, in the early game I can't seem to get much done in a reasonable amount of time. I see people talking about how good their setups are in 50-100 turns, and that's usually just when I'm getting started, even if I get IA quite early (I always beeline).
In practice games I was able to expand like a weed in every direction as Yang, but usually fell hopelessly behind in tech until the midgame when I could build enough probe foils to steal my way to parity. But I have these problems with many factions. Morgan, Lal, heck, anybody. By the time I can get my pop boom going, my bases are practically big enough not to need it (I still boom to 14, but people talk about booming to 7 early and I can't manage it). I'm not sure when to stop, might be part of it, but in general I need some pointers, because while I think I have a generally good grasp of the game, my early work is sluggish and it's lengthening the time it takes me to win. I also have trouble making contact with anybody, as it seems like I'm always too far away from people, and even when I do make contact, AI or Human, I have nothing to offer them by that point.
So, here we go, folks: Help me with the early game. Tips, pointers, general rules of thumb for build orders, how to know when it's time to switch over to something else, etc. In a few weeks I'm going to be on a Hive team in a PBEM and I'd like to be sure my supervision of infrastructure (one of the things I'm good at, I love those formers) in the early game pays off for us in the long run. I want to know how to start fast and keep up momentum so that I'm not wasting a lot of time in the early game when I could be building and expanding. We're going to be playing on a Huge-sized or similar map, directed research (as always).
Anything you can think of would be great. I always hear "once you have IA, then you can do..." and it's really helped me, but there seems to be a dearth of info on the early game except "build colony pods." I'm doing that, but it's not working fast enough. What do I do?
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binTravkin
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Lord of Progress of the Council of Lords of Gaia
Jan 2004
time: 07:35
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Id like to get some hints prom other veterans too
I have been playing against AI on transcend and getting all SPs almost always (with Uni or Morgan its easy), but there always is something I dont know..
So dear Jamski and other Vets/Elites should they visit this thread, could you post your start in this manner:
Fac: Morgan
Credits: 110
First tech: IE
Turns:
1.
Production status: 10 + 2;
Growth status with(square = 2.1.1) = 0/20 + 2; Alas 10 turns
If (!CentEco){SPatrol}; //Wont have Cent Eco so soon!
2.
Production status: 1 + 2;
Growth status with(square = 2.1.1) = 2/20 +2; Alas 9 turns
If (!CentEco){CP};
3.Repeat until (Growth status = "1 turn left")
4.Do 1 turn (have 2 citizens)
CP prodStatus = 19/30
Drone Riots! (FM)
5. CP prod Status = 19/30, Rushbuy for ~34
Its 1+1+8+2 turns = 12 turns for CP
I mention that with Uni its quite different - they have 1 more support, so you can build 2 scouts at the beginning and assign the 2nd scout to guard CP on its way to basesite and when new (3rd) base is ready just press Ctrl-H
BUT:
If you want to expand much (to be "momentum") player:
Explanation:
Builder: do not have contacts soon, doesnt expand much, instead tries to build;
Momentum: has contacts very soon, expands as much as can, uses artifacts to build Command Nexus&other SPs that give something to all bases (as he has MUCH bases). Whenever meets an enemy, tries to expand in his directions and when close enough changes ALL bases to military production and CHARGES!
IMPORTANT: If you play Momentum very well, you can use an awesome tactics:
1.Produce bases till you fill all the continent and you have nowhere to place a ground base (only on island/other continents).
2.When the first is done, go Builder in almost all bases except those close to the sea - produce transports and more CPs in them.
3.When you get Fusion Power, produce CPs in all your coastal cities and build muchas improvements in continental
What you get is:
1.Huge, 2 part faction - the Metropol and the Province
2.All closest facs overriden by you
3.Fast game
4. Noone can PlanetBust or conquer you easily because of the bufferzone!
You only have to notice that in the provincial bases building any Economy-related facs is impractical due to inefficency and bureaucracy - instead concentrate on minerals there
Best facs to play like this are (not in any desc or asc order):
1.Miriam: due to support - can use democracy (You WILL need efficency), use Demo/Planned/Creche and you'll get POPBOOM
2.Yang: due to Police State (support again), +1 growth, +1 Ind, Immunity, EFFIC
3.Aki - Zeta: due to efficency and research (use Police State, Planned, Wealth at the beginning with Aki)
4.Domai: -1 drone, Industry (you can use FM with him)
5.Deirdre: due to efficency and Planet (mindWorms will aid you greatly)
6.Svensgaard(if U are VERY creative - can be much fun): due to +1 min/SEA, Aquatic (you have at least 1/3 of the world to expand!)
With Svensgaard build Kelps/Mining platforms - Research will suffer, but expansion speed will be quite good!
Blah, could write more and more..
Just ask, if want to know something!
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30-04-2004 03:16
So far I have every SP, the AI has none. I'm so far ahead of the AI, all the other factions have pacted against me. That's right, the University is pacted with the Believers against me....I must be doing something right. 
The original idea is Ogie's, I think. I've got it pretty off pat now though.
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