GAR!! Challenging AI kicking my but

Yeah man i was getting whipped at first when i played on challanging so i know how it feels

The thing that turned the tide for me was definitely getting military out quickly... even if it was just a couple of defenders per planet...

The way the AI caculates military strength (1.0x and 1.1) you can easily be top of the military graph in the early game just by turning out a speed 1 attack 1 def 0 cheap tiny ship every couple of turns... i used to lose because i liked to wait until i got laser 5 at least + impulse 3 ect to bother pumping out ships but nah plus those 1-0 ships are surprisingly useful when you start developing better ships, i use them against minor races or throw them away against a neighbour im almost set to invade (im fairly warlike ...

Remember also you have 5000 credits to start with use them well

Just with your starting build too im not sure specialising your homeworld as econ is wise, personally i usually build my manufacturing capital on my homeworld, 1 eco, 1 morale and MAYBE a lab...

I'm just following a build that I saw in a post that Dagonial(i think??) did. And since you get money from your pop, it only makes sense to have econ's there.

The AI tends to be a lot more aggressive on smaller maps, you might find the going easier on Gigantic maps.

I would if it wasn't for the serious lagging and then eventual restarting of my computer.

Sure it makes sense to have an Econ planet but how are you going to pump colony ships out quickly if your first planet is a eco planet? the 5k you start with should be enough to get yourself through the initial colony rush without worrying too much, which is why usually my second/third planet is my primary eco planet...

Maybe your right, i was just offering a suggestion anyways good thing about strategy games is that often there are more than one strategy...

I will say this though, you do need a good industrial planet asap. i like one that can pump out small ships every second turn or so... the AI is ruthless if you get behind militarily but VERY managable if you stay in the tough half.

Hi!

My current starting build is 2 factories, 3 Xeno Labs, 1 Happy buidling, and the rest of the sqaures are Economy.

Only two factories are a bit low. I usualy aim at equivalent of 4 on my HW, to crank a colonizer in 2 turns and still producing/researching.
BR, Iztok

yeah i agree with with Iztok there, i usually make maybe one or two Labs for my starter planets (cuz i usually spend more on research then military...that way, i still produce ships, and stay ahead of the Tech Game....

I think it is a matter of style but I find using my money at the beginning to buy factories while on 100% research to get faster ships then using the first planet as a manufacturing capital to start pumping out the colonies. LAter build troops transport and transport the extra pop to the other planets. If you do not win the colony grab it is always difficult to win the game. Make your next big planet a money maker and the one after a research cap. Then split any other colonies as you decide you want the game to go. Usually my 4th colony is another big producer so I can pump out ships later.

Sure it makes sense to have an Econ planet but how are you going to pump colony ships out quickly if your first planet is a eco planet? the 5k you start with should be enough to get yourself through the initial colony rush without worrying too much, which is why usually my second/third planet is my primary eco planet... Maybe your right, i was just offering a suggestion anyways good thing about strategy games is that often there are more than one strategy... I will say this though, you do need a good industrial planet asap. i like one that can pump out small ships every second turn or so... the AI is ruthless if you get behind militarily but VERY managable if you stay in the tough half.

Hmm, I think I might try this. Maybe only have 1 or 2 econ's then fill the rest of the spaces with factories since my 2nd planet is strictly for Labs.

I think it is a matter of style but I find using my money at the beginning to buy factories while on 100% research to get faster ships then using the first planet as a manufacturing capital to start pumping out the colonies. LAter build troops transport and transport the extra pop to the other planets. If you do not win the colony grab it is always difficult to win the game. Make your next big planet a money maker and the one after a research cap. Then split any other colonies as you decide you want the game to go. Usually my 4th colony is another big producer so I can pump out ships later.

Hmm, I think I should of said that I also have 9 other races selected as well, so pumping out a colony ship really isn't an option because by the time I do, all the planets are taken up unless I am blessed with a 3rd planet off the hop.

You don't need that many labs or that many factories. A fleet of 3 small hulled vessels with one engine and one laser can blockade any planet on challenging for the first few years. I've had many games where I've won without ever upgrading my initial fleet. Military starbases are your friends. The social and trade techs are underpowered and don't give you a signifigant advantage compared to roaming the galaxy and stomping on everything with your small vessels. Logistics and planetary invasion trees are probably the two most important trees to go up.

My trick is to pretend the Ai is smarter then it is =P...that way when it goes all crazy on me, i'm ready for it....Plus i misdirect it as far as weapons go, beef up my first generation ships with Mass Drivers (your choice)....then continue to research a different weapon type all the way up the latter......it's real handy when they adapt to your Mass drivers and you whip out a few Disrupters

Logistics and planetary invasion trees are probably the two most important trees to go up.

Only if you can get by their orbit defense.

The AI, at least for neutral and evil races, seems to be much more militarily aggressive in 1.1 than it was in earlier versions. I've had games where my research, production and overall economy are almost equal to that of everyone else combined and I'm still ranked last (and treated badly by the AI) because I don't have a military -- or much of one.

The only solution I've found is to build or buy a bunch of cheap combat ships. Nothing fancy in the early game. Just enough ships to cover all your planets with one in orbit or enough to create a small fleet (4).

Which would mean researching the galactic warfare tree tech a bit.