11-04-2003 09:44									#1
	The Starbase Gambit Tired of ads?

In parallel:

-Beeline (in terms of research): Transports, Starbase Offense Support

Build: about 7 constructors and 7 starfighters and about 4 transports

Mass everything together.

Build a starbase in the sector of a nearby neigbor, especially if they have several good systems in one sector.

Pump the starbase with all as many offensive military upgrades.

Blow away the defending ships with your starfighters.

Invade.

This is about as close as I have been able to get to an "archer-rush". In my latest game (relatively easy level, beginner I think?), this technique kicked ass. I set military to about 55% and research to 45%. The ships involved require little (transports none, so build them as soon as you can) upkeep. My starfighters were attacking at 12 against battleaxes. My guess is that it is really only effective on smaller maps. On big map, you have to consentrate on rexing to much to mess with a bunch of starfighters that you will never use again.

Why starfighters? They benefit the most from starbases, since the bonus is a fixed, non-linear increase. They are cheap, you can build them early, and they require little upkeep. You can leave them in the captured system where they continue to attack at 12 or so. Two or three of them can pound a battleship.

What makes it work? Starbases. Starbases are the number one best part of this game from a strategic point of view. They are EXTREMELY powerful. They can early in the game make a the lowliest unit really powerful. Think abotu a Civ III warrior that can suddenly attack like a tank in the late Ancient era. Now think about a lot of warriors that can attack like a tank. In fact, I wonder if you are better off just builidng a gob of starfighters and corvettes and a ton of starbases and forget the more powerful ships.

And on to my next idea...in a topic soon to be started: defending with scouts. Lots of scouts.

	14-04-2003 02:47									#2
	Put an end to popups!

Congratulations on coming up with the best attempt that I have seen at porting a RTS rush strategy over to a TBS game.

Although against a human player, I would guess that he/she would be suspicious of such a convoy approaching their sector, and "rush" out whatever forces are available to meet it before starbases are in position.

However, given that galciv is SP, this could be very powerful.

	14-04-2003 07:31									#3
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

A strong strategy for small maps, but to be the naysayer: This would never work on larger maps. There's too much REX time and the distances to be crossed are too great.

I do think I may have to check this out if I ever start playing small maps though.

	15-04-2003 23:32									#4
	Remove this text

I have now tried this on the two smallest map settings (5x5 and 8x8). It works great on the 5x5 map. I have not tried it on harder levels, but I think it will still work unless another civ hits you first.

It was mediocre on the 8x8 map. As FP said, the REX lasts too long and it can be a two year journey to the nearest civ. By the time you get there, you may need 5 or 6 billion troops to beat him.

BTW, complete conquering should probably by the goal. You'll need the extra planets to make up for all the time and effort.

Boosting popluation growth helps this strategy out alot, since you will be spreading your people pretty thin at the beginning.

	15-04-2003 23:35									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Oh, something else: I tend to use defenders instead of starfighters since their maintenance is the same, and they give you an extra point each on your military strength calculation. You get the ability to build them on the way to space militarization anyway. Actually, getting phasers for starfighters just slows you down.

	16-04-2003 08:20									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

I have heard that on higher difficulty levels, if you build a starbase in a sector controlled by another civ they will demand that you turn over the starbase.

	16-04-2003 17:23									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

They do it on level difficulty levels, too. I'm playing subnormal and any time I build a starbase in another civs sector and add any culture influence to it, they contact me and tell me it's an affront to there civilization; hand it over.

	20-04-2003 01:21									#8
	Inflate your Upload Space

It doesn't really matter if they declare war on you for not turning over the starbase once you have +5 attack and +3 defense on all your ships in that sector. Let them try to take it down before you wipe out all their planets and invade.