When to attack

[Stone Mill]

Objective

What is it that you hope to accomplish with your attack?

Is it for the sheer fun of your bloodthirsty race? If not, it's best to have a strategy behind it.

Pre-emptive Attack: Attacking with the purpose of eliminating a threat. An enemy is massing troops at your border, and you have the ability to strike with an advantage with a high probability of winning. Outcome of the battle is reducting enemy's ability to wage war. See Offensive.

Attack with the purpose of gaining and HOLDING ground. If you overextend and do not establish adaquate security, your new gains are vulnerable. If this is your purpose, go big or stay home. See Mass.

Attack to distract / divert enemy forces away from a primary target. See Economy of Force.

Attack to disrupt the enemy's economy and reduce his ability to wage war. Burn planets, cause riots, reduce his production and maintenance capabilities. Important!!!

Defensive Attack: Counterattack to stop an enemy threat. In this case, delay as much as possible until you can compile a fleet that will win or severly damage the attacking force. Until then, accept planet losses while you form up at a point to your advantage. Don't waste your forces by sending them in piecemeal. Waiting one more turn for a few critical ships to join your counterattack may make the difference.

Attack when the advantage is yours. This means when your economy can support it, and when you have better forces.

Attack rather than defend. You must prepare for war from turn 1, and the eventuality that you will be at war with everyone (unless your game has different parameters). This means that you will have the dirty job of backstabbing many people. But don't feel bad about it. They were eventually going to do it to you. The way SEIV is built, the advantage always goes to the attacker (if he/she is a good player). If you are attacked by a player while you are building your economy and expanding, your attacker is smart. You should do the same, and take advantage of opportunity. See Surprise.

Timing
Early game wars just stink. Avoid them whenever possible. They stunt your economic growth and expansion.

Mid-game wars are tolerable with the conditions noted above. But the absolute best position to be in is to not be at war while you are expanding/growing. When your planets/systems are developed, your economy is strong (minus the resource loss from treaties you will break). Attack when there is no where else to expand but at the expense of the enemy.

Late game war is the prime place to be. This means you have built up and avioded conflict through successful political action, while letting the other players bash themselves to bits as much as possible. You have underplayed your true hand (Eastern philosophy) and now you are ready to reveal and execute it. At this point you have a solid change for winning the game.