Gameplay tips & tricks

[Suicide Junkie]

StrategiaInUltima said:Also, do NOT underestimate the sheer defensive power of a Large Weapons Platform design containing nothing but shields, regenerators and armor. Place a few of these on your planets and orbital bombers will have a hard time bombing as they're up against heavy regenerating shielding AND armor, while WPs keep pounding away at them from the surface.

Oddly enough I just tested this.
Platform: 1550 shields, 140 hull, 2500 regeneration.
Ship: 100 damage per shot, spread over many turns.

Result: 33rd hit dealt -1350 damage, killing the platform plus 10m people @ 10 hitpoints each.

Conclusions:
- The platform did not absorb any damage from the shot that killed it.
- This implies that the platform had an effective strength of between 3200 and 3300 hitpoints.
- 1550 of the hitpoints were not accounted for by the hitpoint meter on the planet.

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The same test was repeated with 3 ships, capable of delivering the entire volley in one combat turn. Identical results were achieved.

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The same test was repeated with the shield regenerators replaced with inert PDCs.
Identical results were achieved.

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Overall Conclusions:
- Shield generation counts double on platforms.
Presumably once as shields, and again as hull structure.

[Spoo]

Shield regeneration doesn't work on units, right?

[Suicide Junkie]

Or planets, yes.

For the most part, it dosen't really matter, as units are often killed by the handful and would never have a chance to regenerate.

[Atrocities]

QUESTION BY: Smolf

I'm playing in a star system where not all system are connected to each other. I have just researched stellar manipulation to lvl 3 and got Gravitational Quantum Resonator I. It states that it can open a warp point out to a system 100 light years away. Is their any way to measure the distance between one of my star systems and the closest neighboring system?

ANSWER BY: Fyron

When you order a ship to open a warp point, you can see the distance between the systems by selecting the source system, then hovering the mouse over the target system.

The only other way to determine the distance between systems is to calculate it, unfortunately. Each square on the galaxy map is 10 light years. Diagonals count, so 10 squares in a direct diagonal line is not 100 LY, but instead 100 * sqrt(2) LY (at most).

If retorical please excuse, but it is good advice and should be mentioned twice.

[Suicide Junkie]

And as a detailed reminder:
To calculate the distances, use the Pythagorean theorem:
Distance to system = 10LY x squareroot( (horizontal)^2 + (vertical)^2 )

[Gozra]

Y'all don't remember there is a way to see distances in Y'all don't remember there is a way to see distances in SEIV I can't remember how but it had something to do with the stragic map and locating the distance it will tell you distance from point to point just click on point of origin and click on the point you want measured and the Distance in light years will come up this is in the game somewhere I am sure as I have used it before.

Tip:
Fleet strategies and experience are critical for winning a fleet action.

[Slick]

That's available only if you have a warp opener, on the screen to choose the destination of the warp opener. and you have to select a checkbox to turn that on.

[Rathar]

Ok esoteric stuff I have leaned in a year of this..

Mines do not stop a fleet from moving if they have sufficient sweeping capabilities. They do stop fleets without such but this may be merely due to engine damage.

Even if you have class 4 sensors of any type in a given system and your enemy warps into said system onto a planet of yours (Assuming it met no interference), that planet will not fire upon the ships (although it will suffer blockade) until it has at least 1 unit in space above it.

Please do note that in no way am I implying that mines are skippable with cloaking. They are the best sensor that exists.

If fighting a crystalline opponent, pay extra special attention to how crstalline armor works. (page 1 or 2 of this thread) All I can suggest is to use REALLY REALLY BIG guns. Shield depleters followed by the largest thing you can muster seem to work the best. Toss in engine destructors and battle warpers and you have a chance.

This advice is also oddly useful for fighting races with the talisman. Your ships are likely not to get second shots anyways, hope to blow them up instantly.

If they have both abilities, you are in trouble, follow same advice but...

[douglas]

Rathar said:
Even if you have class 4 sensors of any type in a given system and your enemy warps into said system onto a planet of yours (Assuming it met no interference), that planet will not fire upon the ships (although it will suffer blockade) until it has at least 1 unit in space above it.

You forgot to mention that this is for when the enemy fleet is cloaked. Ships and bases will also work.

[Rathar]

Amazing how a bit of drink can cause one to leave out the whole point of one post, heh heh

I guess, thats a tip too. Don't drink and post!