Is this an exploit?

Nope, just good design (and taking out the ai's defenses so it can't intercept them helps--on higher difficulties it will try to intercept unguarded transports if it can).

Agreed a nice tactic, hopefully we may open a tactic subforum where people could write their tactical experiences in the games, sort of similar to the one we had at GC1.

Is GalCiv multiplayer??? I was planning on getting it anyway;)  but I checked the deatails, and it doesnt look like it.

No it is not. They are seriously thinking about adding it in an expansion though. There are about 100 threads already discussing this if you care to do a forum search for the details.

The AI are using the speed themselves thanks to the new patch. I was getting used to them being able to cross large maps from early on with their range, but being slow at it. I could take down Dread Lord escorts quite easily by outstripping them all. Now, at start game, the only chance I have is my custom race's speed advantage, because even Early impulse driven ships seem to have 5 speed at least. It's annoying as hell, but they can't get my planets because I'm now too far away from them
If you win without them putting up much resistance, just increase the difficulty. It's so rewarding to win a game that you spent at least 4 hours worrying that you're about to be obliterated in. Stupid Drengin, Victory is for the T-Side Commune!

I was using ridiculous speed though- I think the speed I ended up with was 16...

I could build it, and send it to an enemy planet in some cases the same turn, so I never had to guard it.

Maybe I should head up to intelligent- but I'm barely winning at Bright right now.

Definitely not an exploit. After troop modules and maybe a little added range.... what else are you going to put on a Troop Carrier? All it has to do it avoid combat and get to the target quickly, so really, there is no other choice as far as I can see. In other words, I would say it's taken for granted that Troop Carriers are going to be quick!

I used the same strategy on my last large map at bright, except i'd got to HyperWarp III so they were moving about 40 or so. Also strategically it makes a lot of sense to get them there as quickly as possible and preferable be able to out run combat ships.

I wonder if for a patch the devs could add in some quicker transports to help the AI out?

I mean can one create a ship with 5 warp drives that traverses the map in 2 turns without life support? If not how many do you need?

its always interesting how Turn based games alter reality. An enemy fighter could be waiting between you and a planet, but you can just waltz right passed that ship and straight to the planet before the fighter can even blink. Doesn't make sense, but its the physics you get in TBS.

Of course, all the AI has to do is protect the planet with ships orbiting the planet, and your superfast troop ships can't do anything. and what with all that time you have spent in investing in speed, that AI (if it is smart enough) probably should be investing in fire power to defense ships so your troop carriers are useless.

I wonder if for a patch the devs could add in some quicker transports to help the AI out?

I would really like to see this as well, at least when they get warp drive they attach 3 onto each transport or something of that nature.

in a couple of games i noticed that the ai has used a tacitc like this except that even with higher tech its troop ships still werent that fast and the only reason it worked for them for a while was that i put so many ships into offense that i completely depleted my planet protectors

Speed 13?! Thats all... shite. I made Huge Ships with 5 advanced troops mods on there and boku engines, they were going freakin' speed 25 and then a random event happened and all my ship went double the speed.. it was freakin' awesome I tell ya, awesome.

A very valid tactic. This is the only way I could beat the dread lords on the Apocolypse campaign mission

I wonder if for a patch the devs could add in some quicker transports to help the AI out?

that would be great. would actually force me to build ships to keep in orbit and build those orbital defense improvements