Posted January 29, 2015
I've been unable to add to the previous topic, even with a new post, so I'll try finishing the tips in a second topic. Sorry about the split.
Strategy tips continued:
D. Combat & Defense
1. Consider defense before attack. Surprise is rather easy, be ready for an attack anywhere. At important planets, consider at least one planetary shield (GenCon) and possibly two (see below). Garrison EVERY planet with at least one troop unit: this one unit, even if easy defeated (i.e., a Sullustan) will mean the difference between uprising and instant neutrality if the planet's loyalty is swayed. A single garrison will also interfere with enemy sabotage and other missions. Assigning a General will greatly improve your troops' effectiveness; make sure the general has good Espionage and Combat values, and you will stop most missions which target that world.
2. One of the most effective defenses is a dual planetary shield. A world so protected cannot be assaulted, and bombardment is largely ineffective. Sabotage (or inciting revolt) is the ONLY effective way to take such a world. Guard your most important, or most threatened, worlds with two shields.
3. Know your ships well. Laser cannons and fighters are effective against fighters, but weak against capital ships. Tubolasers are powerful weapons against capital ships, but cannot effectively target fighters. Tailor your attack force for the defense you know (or suspect) is present. A single Corellian Corvette can defeat several fighters, but on the other hand a large group of fighters can defeat a Star Destroyer, and you KNOW they can take out a Death Star...
4. Fighter garrisons are easy to build, and at first it may be all your shipyards produce. Remember that a few fighters cannot defeat much, it is better to have four to six fighters at one world than two fighters at two or three worlds. Also, remember that the Empire's fighters (until the TIE Defender) cannot retreat and are rather weak by themselves; if you are the Empire, gather your fighters in large groups. If you have several fighter garrisons that seem useless (because you are on the offensive), build carrier ships to allow you to use your fighters offensively.
5. By the time the Lancer Frigate and/or Corellian Gunship are researched, fighters become a fragile weapon. Later in the game, shift your production to larger ships, or build only the most agile fighters (A-Wing and TIE Defender) and be ready for heavy losses.
E. The Rim
1. Colonizing the Rim is a great long-term investment. If you are the Empire, searching the Rim for the Rebel Headquarters, consider dropping a few outposts along the way for later development. If you are the Rebels, you have two footholds on the Rim when the game begins--use them to build a secret economic base out there. Be cautious about developing the sector with the HQ (it will attract unwanted attention) but Sumitra sector, around Yavin, is safe to exploit since the Empire already knows you are there. Spread out to other sectors near your first footholds, as well.
2. Instead of exploring with Longprobes or Probe Droids, explore with ships: they move faster and give much the same information. Better yet, assign Longprobes/Probe Droids to the ship, send them out when you first reach a new sector, and explore half the sector with missions and the other half with the base ship. If the base ship is a transport (the best mother ship, I think), drop troops on the first uninhabited planet you find, making it a friendly base where the probes will return when their mission is complete, if the mother ship happens to be in hyperspace. If the mother ship is not a transport, be careful to leave it idle when missions may be about to finish, or the probes will leave the sector to go to a friendly world.
3. The first thing you send to a newly-inhabited sector should be at least two construction facilities. Then that facility should build a training center or two. Then while you build troops to occupy other worlds, add more construction capacity. Once a few more worlds in the Rim sector are inhabited, start adding either mines or refineries to them or start building a shipyard world (see below).
4. The best type of Rim planet is an uninhabited world with at least 12 energy (13 or 14 is better). Fill such a world with one or two shields and the rest shipyards, preferably advanced yards. A world with 10 or more advanced shipyards can crank out Rebel Cruisers or Imperial Star Destroyers with frightening speed, or be used to build the next Death Star in a reasonable time...
F. Other Fun Stuff
1. Name your ships and fleets. I like to name fleets for what they do (Explorer 1, Patrol 3) or where they operate (Sluis A). I like to give ships theme names by class, i.e., all Galleons have names of mythical creatures (Hydra, Harpy, Manticore) and all Medium Transports have bird names (Sparrow, Wren, Canary). Suggestions follow on a list below.
2. Role play a little. Make Han & Chewbacca want to operate together, even if you don't need them both. Maybe make Han want to stay in the same sector as Leia. Make the imperial leaders have rivalries, and compete for command roles or most successful missions. In one game, I kept sending Luke to Coruscant, despite the danger of capture, just so he could confront the Emperor more often (in addition to an interesting mission summary, this gives a nice force boost as well). Doing non-optimal things for the sake of role-playing can be a lot of fun.
Strategy tips continued:
D. Combat & Defense
1. Consider defense before attack. Surprise is rather easy, be ready for an attack anywhere. At important planets, consider at least one planetary shield (GenCon) and possibly two (see below). Garrison EVERY planet with at least one troop unit: this one unit, even if easy defeated (i.e., a Sullustan) will mean the difference between uprising and instant neutrality if the planet's loyalty is swayed. A single garrison will also interfere with enemy sabotage and other missions. Assigning a General will greatly improve your troops' effectiveness; make sure the general has good Espionage and Combat values, and you will stop most missions which target that world.
2. One of the most effective defenses is a dual planetary shield. A world so protected cannot be assaulted, and bombardment is largely ineffective. Sabotage (or inciting revolt) is the ONLY effective way to take such a world. Guard your most important, or most threatened, worlds with two shields.
3. Know your ships well. Laser cannons and fighters are effective against fighters, but weak against capital ships. Tubolasers are powerful weapons against capital ships, but cannot effectively target fighters. Tailor your attack force for the defense you know (or suspect) is present. A single Corellian Corvette can defeat several fighters, but on the other hand a large group of fighters can defeat a Star Destroyer, and you KNOW they can take out a Death Star...
4. Fighter garrisons are easy to build, and at first it may be all your shipyards produce. Remember that a few fighters cannot defeat much, it is better to have four to six fighters at one world than two fighters at two or three worlds. Also, remember that the Empire's fighters (until the TIE Defender) cannot retreat and are rather weak by themselves; if you are the Empire, gather your fighters in large groups. If you have several fighter garrisons that seem useless (because you are on the offensive), build carrier ships to allow you to use your fighters offensively.
5. By the time the Lancer Frigate and/or Corellian Gunship are researched, fighters become a fragile weapon. Later in the game, shift your production to larger ships, or build only the most agile fighters (A-Wing and TIE Defender) and be ready for heavy losses.
E. The Rim
1. Colonizing the Rim is a great long-term investment. If you are the Empire, searching the Rim for the Rebel Headquarters, consider dropping a few outposts along the way for later development. If you are the Rebels, you have two footholds on the Rim when the game begins--use them to build a secret economic base out there. Be cautious about developing the sector with the HQ (it will attract unwanted attention) but Sumitra sector, around Yavin, is safe to exploit since the Empire already knows you are there. Spread out to other sectors near your first footholds, as well.
2. Instead of exploring with Longprobes or Probe Droids, explore with ships: they move faster and give much the same information. Better yet, assign Longprobes/Probe Droids to the ship, send them out when you first reach a new sector, and explore half the sector with missions and the other half with the base ship. If the base ship is a transport (the best mother ship, I think), drop troops on the first uninhabited planet you find, making it a friendly base where the probes will return when their mission is complete, if the mother ship happens to be in hyperspace. If the mother ship is not a transport, be careful to leave it idle when missions may be about to finish, or the probes will leave the sector to go to a friendly world.
3. The first thing you send to a newly-inhabited sector should be at least two construction facilities. Then that facility should build a training center or two. Then while you build troops to occupy other worlds, add more construction capacity. Once a few more worlds in the Rim sector are inhabited, start adding either mines or refineries to them or start building a shipyard world (see below).
4. The best type of Rim planet is an uninhabited world with at least 12 energy (13 or 14 is better). Fill such a world with one or two shields and the rest shipyards, preferably advanced yards. A world with 10 or more advanced shipyards can crank out Rebel Cruisers or Imperial Star Destroyers with frightening speed, or be used to build the next Death Star in a reasonable time...
F. Other Fun Stuff
1. Name your ships and fleets. I like to name fleets for what they do (Explorer 1, Patrol 3) or where they operate (Sluis A). I like to give ships theme names by class, i.e., all Galleons have names of mythical creatures (Hydra, Harpy, Manticore) and all Medium Transports have bird names (Sparrow, Wren, Canary). Suggestions follow on a list below.
2. Role play a little. Make Han & Chewbacca want to operate together, even if you don't need them both. Maybe make Han want to stay in the same sector as Leia. Make the imperial leaders have rivalries, and compete for command roles or most successful missions. In one game, I kept sending Luke to Coruscant, despite the danger of capture, just so he could confront the Emperor more often (in addition to an interesting mission summary, this gives a nice force boost as well). Doing non-optimal things for the sake of role-playing can be a lot of fun.
Post edited January 29, 2015 by kaphtor