tech whoring

from Stardock Forums
Here's another strategy noob question from me. I find myself succeeding in games by only trading techs to other civs for cash. I use the 80% diplo bonus but i find it hard to compete with the other civs in the later stages b/c they have better weopons hit points and defence. I usually find myself winning only by alliance victory and after the good civs and me take out the evil ones. Is trading techs not always good I kno diplo ones are a no no and i usually don't trade trade goods. Should i change my settings to add some econ or trade or should i just not trade weapon techs either? I recently lost a game when i gave dreadnaut tech to the remaining civ and destroyed a planet with a terror star, i had to purchase an excalabur and by the time i could have peace 3-4 months later they had 4-5 excaliburs with 700 attack where mine only had around 350 please help i need some pointers. Also over expanding is it good or bad in the early game?
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Howdy.

Trading techs is a strategy at difficulty less than masochistic. They key is to 1) trade the same tech to several other civilizations on one turn; 2) be a broker, and retrade the techs you traded from other civilizations to each other; and 3) maintain a monopoly on techs that lead to wonders until you build the wonder, and/or provide important bonuses.

The most important bonuses to have as an exclusive advantage are population growth, morale, and diplomacy. As long as the playing field is level, you can deal with the AI militarily.

Expanding is crucial in the very early game. It is possible to overdo it and have extra colony ships floating around while you are not generating tech or improvements. Generally, I find that if I have 4 worlds, and 2-3 colony ships out there, I should be building tech, not ships. There are others better than me -- take their advice.

Good Luck.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Hey there MoseyingAlong! Drop in to our empire thread sometime. Don't feel like you need to read all those posts, unless you want too. Just jump straight to the end. Also, we have a private forum that the Diplomats host for us. It's at http://www.diplomats-empire.com/forum/index.php


:)
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Do a search in the strategy forum for MASO strategies. These strategies work well for all game difficulties.

Your political party and start up modifiers are crucial. You should pick these to complement your playing style.

For levels below MASO I like lots of social and military production as well as diplo.

For MASO I like lots of diplo, influence and morale.

There are many picks to choose from, these are my favorites.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
With 80% diplo, it's easy enough to avoid war entirely. Just give them a gift whenever their attitude towards you drops below neutral. Trading with them and having enough antimatter missiles to boost your military rating helps, too.

Everyone has suggested good starting picks, but if you do want to fight, then there's nothing wrong with taking picks that boost your ships. I won a game on a large map on crippling with all my points in weapons, defense, hp, repair and soldiering, and I used the war party. That's a bit extreme, I ended up wishing I had put some points in econ and population growth.

Starbases mining military resources are another way to boost your attack and defense by a lot. Buy them from the aliens, or watch for them to be destroyed in inter-AI wars,then claim themwith your own constructors. Or make them your first objectives when you declare war. Destroying their base and rebuilding it for yourself can really turn the tables.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I guess it doesn't matter at the higher difficulties especially maso which seems to start with more techs, constructers, and others, it's all about survival and staying out of peoples ways, Scary when you think about it that that's how it would really be if we ran into civs like these. Strategy doesn't work as well at higher levels is my point and isn't worth it.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Ah, the best part of this game is comparing it to how it would really be meeting races like some of these. I play each game differently depending on how I start and how powerful I am. If I am not that powerful I go for trading techs to get ahead. If I am the power house in the quadrant, then I kick alien butt! ;p

http://www.neotechgaming.com sci-fi themed website under construction
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
If I am the power house in the quadrant, then I kick alien butt!
End of quote


The problem is that when playing MASO your strategies are more limited. In the early game you can't get strong enough to take on a MASO head to head. You have to wear them down by having them fight eachother first.

Then you can strike and take them out.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
or play rare planets have them waring and be very close trade for all there combat transports and defenses on all their planets then invade with their own people, take em out on one turn get more planets, still think this is something that needs to be worked out because i feel ships should be worth more than they are and the civs should look at and not trade their planet defenses. I guess i can hope for gal civ 2