Well, it comes with a manual, actually 2 as there is another for the expansion.

In the default game settings turns end automatically after all units finish moving so you could be mistaken about how fast the scout was moving. Also, movement speed increases along rivers.

Play around some more. You will soon regret starting this topic as the interface is very precise and intuitive. The problem is more likely the complexity of the simulation. This is one of the deepest games I have ever played and the sheer amount of options available are impossible to comprehend in the first fledgling attempts.

There are a few basted default preferences you need to fix when you first play, then the computer will remember those preferences.

the dumbest one is the warn when base facility built setting - The default is no, believe it or not, which is absurd because then your city sits there quietly on stockpile energy forever without telling you. Lucky for you if you happen to notice as you scroll over your map, or unlucky for new players who never get to build anything because they don't know its happening. this setting is so absurd.

the next stupid one is the auto end turn, you don't want that. You really need to save at the end of the turn, not so you can cheat, but because of all the things your going to forget to do, then you can reload and go and do it. The auto save forces you to replay the whole turn, and with all the distractions, chances are you will forget again that important thing you wanted to do, lol

I don't like the air units automatically return to base setting. No real benefit at all except occasionally you accidentally attack invisible enemy units you were not expecting to appear. But enemy unit invisibility plagues this game way beyond reason - the enemy can pile 10 units into the adjacent square and you cannot see them?? i mean, what is that?? If you want a cloaking or hiding ability, fine, but all the standard units? bullcrap.

The rest is pretty good, best game ever!

Another great example is that by default the game does not ask you to confirm the odds of succesful attacks. I call it Adolph Hitler mode. Makes it unnecessarily difficult to figure out how combat works when you keep launching suicidal attacks with understrength troops.

The real problem with auto end turn is that if all your units have orders that take several turns you completely lose control over the game until the first unit is done with their task. For example, that first scout unit will run away with several turns until it reaches it's destination or the base finishes production.

Okay - brief overview.

You win the game by conquering everyone else, befriending or intimidating everyone else (diplomatic victory), buying the planet (energy victory), or some interesting stuff at the end which I won't spoil for you.

You have cities. Cities build new units and base facilities which give your cities bonuses.

Colony pods build new colonies (cities).

Sea colony pods build new colonies at sea.

Squares around your cities give you three types of resources.

Food feeds your people. Each citizen needs two food. You start with two (or more) free food from the base itself.

Minerals build new units and base facilities.

Energy funds your research. Research gives you more powerful units and better base facilities and other bonuses. Energy is also needed to pay for base facilities.. It also goes to Psych.

Psych is how happy your citizens are. They are either very happy (Talents), okay (citizens), or unhappy (drones). More drones than talents and your city riots. Don't stop the rioting and every facility in it gets smashed.

You stop the rioting by changing a drone to a medic by clicking on it on the city screen. However medics produce no resources.

Your other key unit is the terraformer. Terraformers can produce farms (improve food in squares near your city), roads (improve movement), mines (more resources), and solar panels (more energy). You can't have a farm and a mine in the same square and you can't have a mine and a solar panel in the same square. At the beginning of the game there is a maximum to the resources each square can generate.

Military units have a movement rating (how many squares they move), an attack strength, a defence strength, and a morale rating. Units that are "Very green" or "Green" have penalties on their attack and defence. Disciplined units are the basic. Hardened, Veteran, Commando, and Elite units get increasing attack and defence bonuses. Elite units get a movement bonus.

Overall strategy. Always have one military unit exploring new territory. Next build a unit to stay in your city and defend it. Next build a colony pod to found a new city. Next build a former (terraformer) to improve the squares around your city.

Move your colony pod to somewhere near good resources and build a new city. Repeat as above.

In terms of base facilities build in this order: -

Recycling Tanks - Increase food, mineral, and energy production at your base.
Children's Creche - reduces the amount of food needed to get a new citizen, reduces energy waste at bases far from your headquarters, and improves morale for troops defending that base
Recreation Commons - reduces number of drones at your base.

On low difficulty other factions will not be aggressive unless you put military units inside their territory or attack them. At higher levels they can be horribly aggressive. Factions may sign a treaty of friendship (more energy for each of you), want a Pact of Brotherhood (more energy, shared maps, units can pass through each other's territory without penalty, and have military forces in the same square including cities.

Increased difficulty also slows your research rate.

To capture an enemy base destroy all enemy troops inside the base then move one of your troops inside the base. Captured bases have more drones than bases you build yourself.

Attack by moving your military units onto a square with an enemy unit. Victorious units may be damaged. Damaged units have reduced defence, and can have reduced movement. Units can fully heal by staying still in a base until they heal or by entering a square with a pillar in it.

There is MUCH,MUCH more to the game. But that should get you started.

S.x.

The ultimate goal, before Mission Year 2600, is to be elected Planetary Governor. Becoming Planetary Governor grants you an Executive Veto in the Council against certain proposals such as when to raise (or lower) sea levels on Planet.

If no one understands why raising (or lowering) sea levels is important, then you really don't understand the game...

...at all.

:)