"25k by 2450 - Another view" by Jason Cawley 1997 v2.6/7

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25k by 2450

by: Jason Cawley

Martin Persson wrote:

>

> How the bloody @#$¤! do I get 25k resources 2450?


General rule - try a race; if it doesn't make it change it and try another. Repeat.


I've played against

> the computer but still can't get beyond 11k.

>

> My factories is at 13/8/16


The 13 eff is not needed and is a bit too expensive. 12 will do. Even 11/9/16 will do if you need to find points.


and costs 1 less Germanium. My mines is at

> 13/4/16.


The 13 mine eff is not needed and is very expensive. Try 10/3/15.

Check the G box.

Keep the pop efficiency high - 1/1000 best, 1/1300 or so livable if you need the points.

Raise the pop growth rate. 19% is good, 18% livable.

Keep the hab decent - 1/4 or better. (Also works with much narrower hab and one immunity, but that takes more getting used to so stick with the 1/4 or better for now).

Pick a PRT that is good at growing pop to start off. CA, JOAT, or IS races.

Take OBRM to raise planet size and get points.

ake IFE and use fuel mizer engines for your colonization. Put fuel pods on everything. Use "booster" scouts if needed to get more range - scout, fuel mizer, fuel pod (scanner optional). Go fast - set the speeds yourself. The fuel mizer will go warp 9 with a lot of fuel, and warp 8 easily (has about the same range at warp 8 as at lower speeds).


For colonizing ships, use the following -


privateer - 2 fuel pods, colony pod, fuel mizer - for long range colonization (350-400 LY or so at warp 8).


medium freighter - colony pod, fuel mizer - for closer planets - optional


standard small colony ship - for 200 LY distances or less, with follow-on freighter runs.


follow-on runs use -


medium freighter - fuel mizer, fuel pod - for 250 LY or less


privateer - fuel mizer, 3 fuel pods (shields optional) - for longer range.


Send at least 21000 colonists to a new world. Preferably 50000. Send follow-on runs to the nearby ones and the better value ones until they have around 100,000 pop. Get bases up on these planets rapidly and use them to continue the colonization farther away from the homeworld. Later, use them to fill the homeworld all the way to capacity.


New colonies do not contribute to research. Autobuild factories then mines e.g. auto 500 fact/auto 500 mines/5 point max terraform. For non-CA, don't go to yellow worlds until all greens have been settled. When you go to them send the max pop - 50000 for a standard race, 55000 with OBRM, etc. Have them build factories until over 100 resources; then terraform 1 point per year.


Scout aggressively - use 10-15 scouts. You want to find several green worlds every year.


Send no pop from the homeworld (just initial colonizer OK if you want) until the pop is 275,000 or so. Then send the growth every year until e.g. 2 years runs are all done. Then let HW grow to about 370,000 pop or so (all this assumes OBRM but not JOAT - the targets are 25% of capacity and around 33% of capacity). Keep exporting all the pop grown until you run out of targets or your HW factory autobuild line turns green. Then let the HW go up to around 500,000 pop (600,000 for JOAT). Export excess G from the HW to colonies, high values first then low G worlds, to help them build factories faster - a full freighter load to each (preferably 2).


Research % set to 0 at the start. Only buy early levels you need for your expansion - e.g. con 3-4, prop 2, later prop 5 and con 5 for first gates. When you buy a level, have the HW only contribute, and dial the % to whatever you need to get the tech for immediate use - resources spent on tech levels not used or sitting between levels is dead capital; it would be better spent on factories. You will get more research when the HW autobuild turns green (all factories and mines that can be operated done), which will happen pretty fast with the pop exports.


As you haven't done the 25k yet, build a simple race with a focus on econ - e.g.

JOAT

IFE, OBRM

1/3 or 1/4 hab

19% pop growth

1/1000 pop eff

10/9/13 factories (better if you can afford, but the main idea is sheer numbers of people)

10/3/13 mines

tech - weapons cheap, rest expensive and start at 4 (gives starting privateer, etc). You might throw in normal prop if you can afford it (will ensure your starting fleet is equipped with fuel mizers).


The points are - rapid scouting via JOAT penscan and IFE; rapid colonization with starting privateers and IFE; high pop growth from 19% pop and 32% larger planets (JOAT + OBRM); rapid industrialization from cheaper factories and mines; eventually cheap weapons tech to throw resources at to get your warfighting edge.


Of course, 12/8/16 3 G factories with 10/3/15 mines would do even better - if you can afford them without giving up things like pop growth, hab, etc. But start simple and see what you can get away with dropping later.


Let's do a little math about the target, OK? A maxed 100% world for the above race has 1716 resources from factories and 1320 resources from pop, for a total of 3036. Lower value planets and being at a lower % of cap will reduce that of course. With a wee bit of terraforming though, imagine your worlds average 67 hab, and are 1/2 full be year 50 with the factories up to the level the pop can operate. That gives 1017 resources per average world. The HW might have 2000-3000, though. So you need 20-25 planets overall to make the target.


Timing for the start (assumes Acc BBS start)


first 4 years just build factories. Then build scouts for a year or two. Then build the shipping you need to move, with other resources going to mines to get the minerals for shipping (you'll be running out of the starting stock by now). When the mines are bringing in enough minerals to build the shipping you need each year to move your pop, go back to building factories after the ships each year. Follow the pop hold instructions above.


Do not build warships for the first 20 years or so unless absolutely necessary (e.g. if you find an AR race right next to you). Take planets from the AIs via invasion. You should also be doing little or no research in this period (with this JOAT, you start with 24 levels).


When you do have to fight, keep everything cheap and light to start. Use the fuel mizers, DD hulls, beam weapons, no armor (one shield in general slot optional; can add one organic armor later when you get more bio - not carbonic - that one is worthless). As soon as you have frigate hulls make minelayers at all base planets and send more of them to your other planets and borders. You want to keep AIs out and/or slow, and be fast and long-ranged on the map - that will get you air control, which with invasions will let you keep getting planets. You are "viral" or "larva" at this stage, spreading out is the idea, getting enough space and moving pop to the planets gained. Maximize non-homeworld pop.


When you have the 25 planets or so, mine everyone in, get bases up and gates on them (for a reserve and to react to threats), industrialize. Research will come from planets with green autobuilds. Get jihad missles. With them and bases and mines and a reserve of cheap light beamers (DDs or shielded frigates) the AIs will not be able to touch you while you grow. You are "cocooned" at this point; mined in, pop no longer running around frantically, defending, growing economically and technologically.


Grow, research whatever round-out tech you need (e.g. energy 10, bio 7, prop 9 or 12, con 9-13, elec 10-11) and get lots more weapons. When you have the weapons, make your attack fleets and go kill the AIs. You are now "imago" or "adult" and grow by seizing enemy space in war.


I hope this is helpful, and good luck.


Sincerely, Jason Cawley