Go here. Load the applet. All the numbers you'll ever want.

http://www.kynosarges.de/Galactopedia.html

Also, for more advanced play, there is no standard "kit" of improvements for each planet, so consider doing specialized planets. For instance, many good players recommend never growing the population of a given planet large enough to get truly dissatisfied. (6-16B) That allows them to avoid wasting tiles on "happiness" improvements at all, never research farms, and only build a very limited number of basic farms ever.

Also most folks tend to be of the opinion that influence improvements are not worth building, unless its an influence bonus tile or you are involved in an influence struggle in that system (trying to flip or avoid being flipped) - even then an influence SB may be a better bet.

Keep in mind that you need money to empower every lab and factory you build, both for maintenence and more importantly to pay for the output. Though Tourism helps a mite, and Trade can help a lot, you will probably ultimately need more money enhancing structures than anything else.

Even though the AI does it, you probably don't want a starport on every planet. Some will be marginal for producing ships. Some folks swear by it, though. In any case, on all but your key porduction planets you can add it on later, when the planet is fully developed or you need more ship pumps, by overbuilding some other tile.

Probably the most sophisticated advanced strategy developed / described yet involves building essentially all lab-type and money-type improvements, and NO factories, in the first 1/2 to 2/3 of the game. You get production by using the "production focus" feature. Then, a little before the Big Push (for any victory type except Tech), you overbuild ALL your lab-types into factories to carry through the rest of the game. Its VERY tough to manage, very expensive, highly efficient, and devestatingly effective if you can pull it off smoothly. Check out Wyndstar's Altarian Resistance AAR.

drrider

Well, I have DL, now DA. I didn't know that DA had came out until I started reading on DL again today. I plan on getting DA in the future. Thanks for the help thougth.