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Trade terror star - a vagabonding cash cow?

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Trade terror star - a vagabonding cash cow?

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

I just started my first maso game on a large map.

I lost the majority of my trade route due to going to war with my former trade partner and to losses from attacks.

I want to maximize my new trade routes and protect them against my enemies. Luckily I have some cash left :)

This is my idea:
- I already have a stack of freighters which will create all trade routes at once.
- The next turn all mini freighters leave my home planet at the same time.
- I build a trade terror star in my home planet with max defences and trade abilities and group it with a sensor drone and one or two capital warships.
- Terror star and mini freighters have the same speed. Thus I have an escort without to much micro management which moreover increases the value of the routes at minimum maintenance costs.

What do you think? What must be avoided not to provoke a diplomatic crisis due to the tramping war fleet? Will the risk increase when I add military modules for speed, repair, defence and attack?

Thanks, Volker
[Message Edited]
10,780 views 33 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top
The aliens don't believe in star-destroying modules, therefore you cannot have one despite your claims. ;)

~SDC~
Reply #27 from Stardock Forums Top
#17 by Citizen Peace Phoenix - 1/23/2004 5:01:05 AM
Don't forget that UP can sometimes ban Terrors Stars...
End of quote


#19 by Citizen Peace Phoenix - 1/23/2004 9:02:36 AM
I think also that it is the case. But it could be the issue of the first meeting of the UP and the outcome depends mainly of the votes of the "good guys" (who ban it) against the votes of the "evil guys".
And for the first UP meeting, there are good chance that the outcome will be against the resolution you vote for.
End of quote

I usually play "good guy" against "evil guys" thus I don't have this problem. ;)

#18 by Citizen JaxomCA - 1/23/2004 6:39:32 AM
Short straight lines can be setup within the first 3-4 years of the game. Setting up a terror star trade route will take at least 10 years if you research straight to terror stars.
End of quote

It's not an early game tactic. But in the mid game or in the end game you can very fast and effective reconstruct your complete trade. e.g. when you traded with the big guy to avoid a confrontation but now they are after you or you want to knock them of. You are suddenly at war and loose most of your trade at the same time. In this case it's nice to have a pack of freighters parked near by a planet of your friends. When you use them at once, all the mini freighters start in the same position

Hey, it's just one option. I had the problem I described in the first post. I got the idea with the trade terror stars and guess - it works.

That's what I love in GC. You have so many options and every game is different.

Whoever has tried this tactic, please report your results here. This way we can tell when it's usefull and when not.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #28 from Stardock Forums Top
Sorry...apparently I've only had Terror Stars with other modules on them accidently slip into the wrong sector! :D

Hmmm...that's rather disturbing behaviour for the AI. :(
Reply #29 from Stardock Forums Top
Hi haskellal, this sounds impressive. But this should even increase significanlty when the mini frighters are farther away from their home planet. How many routes did you create on the same turn?
End of quote


I had eight or nine, i loaded up a bunch of frighters at the target planet and had the terror stars where the minifrigheters would pop out of my launch planet. I killed all my routes, landed all the freighters simultaneously, and started the terrorstars rolling. i also loaded a couple of the terrorstars with a ton of defensive inmprovements which seemed to discourage attack, but i did not send escorts, which i thought would be seen as a threat.
Reply #30 from Stardock Forums Top
I think this theory will be well worth it in AP.

The logistics concept raises the cost of starbases (alot) and therefore one would avoid building starbases along traderoutes.
Reply #31 from Stardock Forums Top
This is a late entry, but a while back the discussion was about if UP outlaws TS. If you have terror stars and lose the vote, your terror stars stop where they are. They become round, stationary, irritating starbases. The TS ban eventually wears off, but it will kill your idea if they get banned.
Reply #32 from Stardock Forums Top
I played some games with "vagabonding cash cows" and it is great. :CONGRAT:

It comes a bit late in the game and thus you often don't really need the extra money anymore. But it is still handsome to get those expensive Excaliburs out fast. :d
Reply #33 from Stardock Forums Top
Warning: do not use speed accelerators in sectors where your Trade Terror Star will pass. They do affect the mini frighters but not the terror star. Thus the terror star can not catch up.