Make a list of ideas you thought that would work... and then you got shut down.
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I thought i could build an army from freighters and just rely on first attack so i reasearched up to nano rippers and just made these bad @$$ freighter something like 24 mass driver attack and 10 moves a turn (this is early on in the game mind you), i start to attack the first person *doh* he has a fleet of tinys that just 1-0-0 attack ships that kill me since i cant kill them fast enough.
I just like spending 300-500 a ship when a 60bc ship can take it out.