Questions on the early game...

[Bigheadmike]

Hello all,
I just found this game and I am having some troubles with getting attacked early in the game so I am wondering what I should be doing differently. This is primarily questions about how to go about researching and how I should be outfitting Colonizers/early warships/planets etc etc...
*I am playing Large Grid/low tech cost/5000 pts/1 high quality planet/low # of enemies

1) what is the best thing to do early with my research? I am generally using the first turn (with all of that extra research) to either get a whole lot of Applied Research 2 and projectile weapons 2 or I am using it to get projectile weapons/ship construction/Missiles/Propulsion and the rest into applied research, and after that just put them on repeat for a while and divide even. am I doing things terribly wrong or are there some techs that I am neglecting for the early game or what (IE What would be a good Tech "Path" for the early game)

2.) When should I start building military ships? how should I outfit them? How should I be outfitting my colonizers

3.) with respect to my early planets, should I be pumping the early ones with research stations (what I am doing right now) or should I focus more on getting some resource production out of them?

Well thanks in advance.
Mike

[Bigheadmike]

... I forgot on key question,
4.) What are the key 'cant get by without em' techs?

[Atrocities]

There are some excellent guides such as the dubious guide. Do a search for it. Also read the FAQ as it gives some good info.

[Suicide Junkie]

If you're getting beaten militarily, then you need more hitpoints and firepower.

Armor is the cheapest way to get lots of hitpoints, if you can manage the repairs.
Also, pick a weapon type and run with it. A long range DF weapon is a safe choice.

It is probably best to divide your research attention between military and economics.

Highly reccommended is to build SY bases. The low build rate is irrelevant when you can have 50 of them piled up over your homeworld

[Atrocities]

1) what is the best thing to do early with my research?

It has been a while since I have played stock SEIV so I will try and help you as well as I can. First research Physics to level 2. Then research Phased Poloron Beams. These are a great weapon early in the game and will skip shields.

Reseach Construction - Industry - and Chemistry as well. Then research Mines, Armor and Military Science. Sensors, Scanners, Engines, and Shields. Don't negelect to research Ship Construction too.

1 a. Am I doing things terribly wrong or are there some techs that I am neglecting for the early game or what (IE What would be a good Tech "Path" for the early game)

Not really, just focus your early research on getting Phased Poloron Beams. Later you will want to Anti-Proton Beams level 12. Mines are vital in the early game. The AI will will research them and start laying them about. If you also research them, say to at least lv 1 in the early game you can start mining your planets to help deter the AI from attacking them.

Mine warp points early on, say by turn 25. Use cargo transports and mine layers to move and deploy mines to warp points and vital worlds that are working on other projects.

You will want to obtain combat sensors, EMC, and Multi-tracking tech as soon as you can. Combine these with armor, PPC's and a destroyer or Light Cruser hull and you will have a formittable war ship.

There are many discussion about early first 100 turn game tactics in the forum. I wish they were all linked too but they are not. Try the links in the "New Players Look Here" sticky thread.

2.) When should I start building military ships? how should I outfit them? How should I be outfitting my colonizers

Start first with building colony ships and leap frogging them out into space. That is skip a system colonize, skip a system colonize. Build just one construction yard on each world and then start building more colony ships. Most players emergency build 11 colony ships at their home world and then switch to building space yards over their home worlds. There are many tactics here to use, but the leap frog expand method is one of the best. As the ship yards come on line have them repeat build colony ships to start filling out the systems and planets you leaped frogged. Keep an eye on your resource consumption during this time as you may need to place construction queues on hold. If you start to run low on resources, target high resource planets and then build the needed resource facilities. As you expand begin to build research facilities and resource storage facilities on worthless planets.

3.) with respect to my early planets, should I be pumping the early ones with research stations (what I am doing right now) or should I focus more on getting some resource production out of them?

Yes and no. As described above you primary focus for the first 30 turns or so should be on colonizing and expanding your empire as far out as you can. You defend the furtherst planets with mines and later fighters, satellites, bases, and weapons platforms.

4.) What are the key 'cant get by without em' techs?

Armor - Combat Sensors, MultiTracking, Engines, Phased Poloron Beams, Hull size Cruiser, mines & mine sweeping, ECM, Quantum Reactor, and Solar Sails.

[Atrocities]

Ok I dug up a couple of good links for you. One is a download that helps to explain about game and empire set up. LINK


Here is a good strategy thread. Link

Here is a link to the Dubious Guide. An compulations tactics and strategy list. Download

Be sure to go through the FAQ thread as well.