Just started my new char with 272k. Now we are more than 300k away ... Way to go Syrrus. Noticed the main diplo players seem unable to post really high scores

It is just a matter of choice.
Not wanting to waste so much time on boring, repettitive work to boost the score.

Our problem is that we have very few active players, five I think.

That's very sportsman-like and humble of you Fuels Chief. I hope our Empire would return the favor should yours surpass us again. dtrotzjr

I learned humility the hard way during initiation as a Chief in the US Navy. Not something I am going to forget soon or use sparingly. You guys are good and the friendly competition we have going is good for the empires and the game.

Syrrus. Congrats on your million!

Noticed the main diplo players seem unable to post really high scores

Personnaly I hate playing on gigantic maps. I like Maso too. Might have to go higher so you guys can't run away from us.

Polar. Thanks for your support in the Hugo thread.

Those games can be very enjoyable u know, its like putting everything u know, have learned playing GC2 for months into practice, like a masters event. Also at the end u get justly rewarded, scorewise.

Very true - that is exactly what I did on the last game I submitted. Took me ages to play it because I micromanaged everything to get the best out of it. The score was highly rewarding, and it wasn't "boring" - but it did take a loooooong time.

I'm sure you didn't get the wrong idea, but just to be sure (in case the smileys aren't showing as sometimes happens) - both comments in my last post here were totally tongue-in-cheek. It's actually the competition both on a personal and empire level that keeps the game interesting - So I probably will wipe the scores of one of the old characters once I have overtaken Syrrus again, just to keep it close (which was obviously his own motivation for the second character of course).   

Meglobob's tip of the day:-

No 15

Blitzkrieg or 'lightning war'

This is very effective against the AI, because the AI trys to defend every planet in its empire.

Essentially u hit very hard at weak points with concentrated force in the form of powerful fleets (with reinforcements) and fast troop transports. U target primary, secondary targets and weak points within the AI's empire in a short period of time, 1-3 turns, with considerable damage being done in the first turn. This requires considerable buildup but is worthwhile, as the war will be very short.

Primary targets are:- Anything to do with manufacturing, ie...manufacturing capital, precursor mines, planets with alot of 300% or 100% bonuses to production. Also Tir-Quan training, Xinathium hull plating, Aphrodisiac r all examples of primary targets. Also military resource starbases and military starbases.

Secondary targets are:- Tech capital, precursor librarys, 300%/100% bonuses to research, other trade goods, galactic achievements, super projects and high PQ worlds.

Weak points:- Undefended colonies, ie no ships in orbit, easy to take out with 1 or more very fast troop transport. Also any unprotected/unfortified economic, resource starbases.

BE THE BEST. JOIN THE BEST. B.C. SPACE ORCAS WANTS U. JOIN OUR EMPIRE TODAY.

Now its back to playing some Maso level games- I've given up on those suicidal ones, they are starting to make me question my value as a man...

After a week of failure, i've notched it back one level to obsence and hopefully post a score soon.

Meglobob's tip of the day:-

No. 16

Protect yr resource starbases soldier!

So u have built up that economic/military resource starbase, giving u 44% empire wide boost. Now u need to protect it. Avoid putting weapons/defenses on the starbase itself, they r a waste, a dreadnought will still blow the starbase away with ease. Instead use a fleet to protect it, by placing the fleet into the same square as the starbase. Now the enemy will after destroy yr fleet before yr starbase, cool.

BE THE BEST. JOIN THE BEST. B.C. SPACE ORCAS WANTS U. JOIN OUR EMPIRE TODAY.

Empire wide boost? Huh, I never knew they had such a huge effect.

I am here to inform.  

Good metaverse scores, considering u don't use starbases.  

Meglobob's tip of the day:-

No. 17

Winning yr people's hearts and minds.

So u enjoy taxing yr people to death do u? Approval 40% and going down! But the money, wow! How am I going to win that election?

Easy do what every politician since the dawn of time has done. Bribe the voters the week before the election! Remember all voters r thick and only consider what u have done last week, how so like real life.  

So tax yr people hard, while keeping an eye on civilization manager, government & ethics (  ) screen. When it says elections held next week, reduce tax to give u 100% approval on all yr worlds, may as well have a landside! Then the week after the elections tax them till it hurts!

BE THE BEST. JOIN THE BEST. B.C. SPACE ORCAS WANTS U. JOIN OUR EMPIRE TODAY.

Meglobob's tip of the day:-

No. 18

Be a military dynamo.

A excellent starting strategy is pick military production(mp) +50, industrialist party mp +20, then research planetary improvements +10mp, space weapons +10mp, space militarization +10 mp. This gives u +100% military production, which means u build ships 2x as fast. U can get this easily by turns 5 - 10, excellent for the early colony rush and good for producing lots of combat ships later on.

BE THE BEST. JOIN THE BEST. B.C. SPACE ORCAS WANTS U. JOIN OUR EMPIRE TODAY.

Meglobob's tip of the day:-

No. 20

It's quality not quantity.

On the higher levels, usually the AI's beat u in the colony rush. In a gigantic, abundant abundancies galaxy, u may get 60 worlds, the AI 80 - 100 for example. However the AI will colonise any piece of barely habitable rock, well u if yr clever should be more choosey. I follow a policy of ignoring any world, no matter where it is (even my own moon world), if its PQ 7 or less. So in the above example, I would have 60 worlds PQ 8 - 26+ (ave. 14 or so), well a AI has 80 (ave. 10 or so), so who has done the best now?

Two other benefits of this r, the low PQ worlds in yr sphere of influence may rebel and join u later in the game, so u get them later when the AI has developed them for u. Also yr power is concentrated into a smaller, hard core of worlds, easier to defend.

BE THE BEST. JOIN THE BEST. B.C. SPACE ORCAS WANTS U. JOIN OUR EMPIRE TODAY

Current points:-

1. B.C. Space Orcas 5303257
2. The Galactic Diplomats 4799077

We got the 1/2 million gap.

  All Orcas  

This is generally true, but has anyone else ever noticed how often a PQ 7-8 that you don't grab early often has a +700% or a few +300% production bonuses ?

Yes, I have noticed this, target them after I have advanced spying.

The other good reason not to grab all the local small planets, is that it allows you to invade them and pick up techs early in the game. (usually at higher levels the closer AIs often jump on you)

Yep! No worrys about the AI getting a weapons tech advantage over u. Just make sure u have the money to redesign/upgrade straight away, once u have the techs.