I agree. Play at the very highest level that you can and you'll learn more.

I also play DL instead of DA.

Techs vary depending on race, but I go with a basic idea when I research. I choose the tech that'll give me the best economic advantage in the least amount of time.

The first techs I try for are...

Universal Communicator (so I can do the tech trading, plus it gives a boost to diplo).

Xeno Entertainment (Boosts moral so I can raise taxes)

Trade (for the cheap diplo skills)

Basic Miniturization (to build my military)

After that, I go for the starbase attack and planetary attack techs. I rarely research weapons early on. I trade for them from the AIs.

When I build my first military starbase, I research Xeno Ethics and align with evil. That way my starbase modules are all free. Be sure to have your small or tiny fighters in orbit to keep the AIs from attacking if you align with evil. Everyone will want a piece of you if you're not prepared.

The military starbase should lend its assistance to one or both of your planets that have the small fighters on it. Max out the ship attack and defense modules on the starbase and launch your tiny fighters towards it. Surround the starbase to protect it and continue to build it up. Send all of your military units to the starbase's influence area and continue to build up. Build a second military starbase next to the first one and surround it too. With two of these, and about 100 tiny fighters in there, your military strength will be good enough to ward off any thoughts of attack.

Use that opportunity to build a real military and take out the weakest AIs. If you're Drengin, look toward taking the Torians out soon. They have a racial grudge against you that won't go away.

Those are some basics that might help get you started. I'll post more when I get time.

I like to colonize as many planets as I can in the early game. I skip the low class ones (5 or lower) though. If they're inside your area of influence, they'll eventually flip to your side anyway.

On the small maps that I play on suicidal, I normally get two or three planets besides my homeword and then the colony rush is over. Sometimes I only get one extra. It's important to remember to land your original colony ship on your homeworld first to pick up the full 500 colonists. That way, your new colony can grow faster. Also, build your own colony ships with extra engines and fewer life support (to make room for the engines).

I keep an extra colony ship around after the colony rush is over to pick up people from my homeworld and distribute them out to the new colonies. That keeps morale even and all planets grow faster. My population is usually at or near #1 soon after the colony rush, even when I have fewer planets than the AI players.

I rush buy the first two or three factories on my homeworld and build two factories and a starport on each new colony. The new colonies are then topped up with economic buildings and my homeworld goes all factories and a manufacturing capital. I set my homeworld's focus on research and set my economic sliders to 8 or 10% Military, 0 research and the rest Social. This is a modified version of the "All Factory" strategy. (If my homeworld has a good bonus for research, I go all Labs, but we won't go there for now).

I don't use focus on the new colonies until at least one factory is built. Then, I focus on research or social, depending on what I'm trying to build. (Usually research unless there's a reason to do otherwise.)

I rush buy as many colony ships as I can before my money gives out. Tech trading will top that back up, but I'm also prepared to decrease my spending slider when I need to.

Taxes are set to allow for 100% morale until I can't maintain that level. I then lower it so my lowest planet morale is 50%.

That should get you started and well on your way to victory.

@neilo and MarshallONeil - I said my goodbyes at the HCH and moved my main character over to here. I'll leave my secondary one here too, but it'll be dormant for now.

May the evirul be with you!

Blah, that's a lot to take in. I'll have to re read it a few times to get the grasp of it.

Ah, thanks. Maybe now I'll have better success at winning and getting higher scores than 250

So, you're the Tyranny of Evil. Let me ask you a question; how evil are you?

LOL, like I will get any nightmares. I'm a good guy. I'm the kind of guy who's very peaceful... and the kind of guy who'll kick anyones butt if they try to kick mine.

Hmmmm. staring into the face of pure evil and smiling it seems????

Do you know the purpose of good, Metel Star? To feed the evil, to be our entertainment and in the end to suffer for our enjoyment.....

Though we can be mercyfull if we choose, that is why we have not yet haunted your sleep. Join us and help lay the path of Tyranny before those we have selected for destruction....

Seriously though Metel, come join us if you like, all are welcome. If you like you could be our good conscience, the voice of pure enlightenment with the swirling tyranny.



Scumby eh? Sounds like our kind of scum! Why not lend your hand to aid in the spread of our evilness, as you have seen we are on our way to devouring all in our path. I'm sure you will fit right in.

@PlayJeff - the hitchhikers comment was not meant to offend in any way, just trying to create a little rivalry between empires, was actually hoping The Great Emperor was reading and would bite. All in fun

@ Motti



To your alter-ego and great work with the evil banners too, i have the evil Mwahahaha ready to go for the frontpage too...



/Bad Muther Fraker\

The comment about offending me? My character(Evil one) can not be offended, However I have not seen TGE for a while on the threads. I do remember reading that he was done school for the year. I am gonna try a gigantic map as evil altarians and make fembot love slaves. YeeeeeHarharharwhwhwhwaaaa(had to clear throat)

My good character is crying  

I'm just not that scared, and I'm already made an empire

Steel (not the best name, but it'll do)

Well good luck  

To our newest members, Lord Apophis and Deth "Plebor Pyrate" Adder.

Glad to have you both on board, together our evilness will shake up the Metaverse, as it seems it is starting to already!!



Remember, when whipping the slaves, the harder you whip the better you feel. I have found it too be a good hangover cure, especially after a night on the Blood Wine!



/Bad Muther Fraker\