Play by web guide - Page 2

Dragonlord · #11 October 14th, 2001, 09:36 AM

Deathstalker,

Awww...you gave all our secrets away !

Is gonna be tough winning a game where everybody knows all this...(Diplowar II probably). Time to polish up my diplomacy skills :-)

Deathstalker · #12 October 15th, 2001, 01:36 AM

"Awww...you gave all our secrets away ! "

Nah, I kept the ultra-hyper-supersecret winning strategy to myself!

ZeroAdunn · #13 October 15th, 2001, 06:46 AM

Your forgetting some very important ones:

1. Fighters are worhtless for attacking.
2. Don't confuse your games!!!
3. Trust no-one, everyone and anyone will stab you in the back for no reason other than to do it! Partnerships mean nothing!

Puke · #14 October 15th, 2001, 07:22 AM

i dont know about Zero's number 3. I tend to disagree with that.

here's one that I like:

use things that other people think are obsolete and/or useless. they will probably not be prepaired to defend against you effectively.

heres another:
find a way around building things that other people think are necessary, thus you can devote research to avenues that others do not have time to explore since they are stuck to researching what they think they always need, thus you can catch them with their pants down.

one more:
never give up, never surrender. it may seem easier to do so, but makes the experience much more rewarding if you dont. and you never know, things might turn arround.

finally:
abuse alliances. dont abuse your allies, but abuse the alliance. trade tech. trade ships. trade colonization rights. trade population. trade everything. get in bed with a partner, and dont let racial differences get in the way. then unite the galaxy under your combined rule, drive your enemies before you, and exercise your imperial might.

one more, just because:
roleplay. if your race is a mass of vomit, act like it. tell people not to step in the puddle of your space lest their feet be coated in the sticky ick of your vengance. tell other people that you wish that your two peoples could ooze toghther in prosperity. even if you are playing a purely tactical game, give your diplomatic message some color. give reasons for stuff too: hippies are protesting the former administrations actions in your space, we wish to end hostilities with your empire. Or lie: this is not a war, it is a police action. Or bend the truth: Empire X's actions in violation of the Kronos Rift peace accords has forced our hand. we ask that you cease diplomatic and trade relations with the treacherous Empire X immediatly, and remain clear of the conflict zone if you do not wish to lend forces to the unified effort against this hatefull bully.

well, thats about all ive got.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

geoschmo · #15 October 16th, 2001, 01:18 AM

The key to sucess at PBW is experience. And I don't mean ship experience, although that is important too. I mean your experience at playing other humans.

Play LOTS of games. Join as many games as you think you can handle, and then find one more and join that too.

The more you play against other humans, (even other newbies) and see what they do, the better you will get. Playing solo games against the AI is almost worthless when it comes to gaining experience for playing other humans in PBW.

The best AI isn't going to be as challanging as the worst PBW player.

Join games that are already in progress and in need of replacments. This way you can pick up in a game and skip all the boring empire building stuff and get right to the combat. Sure you might get pasted quick, but you can always blame it on the former owner, even if it was your fault.

Be flexible. There is no formula for winning on PBW. The tips given in this thread are things people did in the past to win games that worked well. They might not win in the future, especially if your opponent knows them too.

Protect your homeworld.

Know where your enemies are.

Know what your allies are doing.

Geoschmo

DocShane · #16 October 16th, 2001, 03:25 AM

I agree with Geo. Once I started playing humans, I went back to playing the computer. I couldn't do it. Gave up about 50 turns into the game because the AI was so pathetic. The only real challenge against the AI is to get the real good modded AI's and give them astronomical advantages. Then you have a tough game. Mega evil empire also ruins any chance for a large peaceful empire.

We all try to prepare FOR or AGAINST an attack. But what will you do AFTER the attack? ....read on!

I got a good trick. Got a storm about 3 clicks from a key warp point? Park a minelayer in the storm. After the enemy comes into your system and raises a little havoc, he will inevitably return home to refuel or return to the warp point to await reinforcements. Send your mine layer out and mine the warp point AFTER he comes through. If you have enough movement, you can hide back in the storm without him knowing. It is a treat to see their reaction, returning to that "safe" spot in the system to recoup. Boom! Hehe, ask Gimboid about it.

This is why playing humans is so fun. May the Phage remain pure!

------------------
The Good Doc

"Henceforth I spread confident wings to space
I fear no barrier of crystal or glass;
I cleave the heavens and soar to the infinite.
And while I rise from my own globe to others
And penetrate even further through the eternal field,
That which others saw from afar, I leave far behind me."

-Giordano Bruno
"On the Infinite Universe and Worlds," 1584

Dragonlord · #17 October 16th, 2001, 04:30 AM

Doc,
I'm not sure that trick would work too often. A good player would assume the wormhole itself is mined before he comes through, and would include sweepers in his fleet that can sweep more than your minelayer could place in a turn or two...
I for one never send off big fleets without the ability to sweep 100 mines.

Mudshark · #18 October 16th, 2001, 05:19 AM

Great Posts!! I also would recomend reading this post for anyone thinking of joining PBW; Are battles always one sided? (Page 1). This game is so much better with human players! It does offer a new level, even though fleet settings and ship settings are confusing in the simultanious setting, let alone the lack of movement in the game. The PBW Admin. deserves many thanks for the time they have put into bringing a new playing level to SE4. I do look forward to seeing more Posts of strategy and tactics that us newbies can devour, and the many hours that I plan on spending on making many more mistakes! LOL

Mudshark · #19 October 16th, 2001, 05:32 AM

Originally posted by Dragonlord:
"In one PBW game I had one annoying opponent who put one minelaying component on a transport ship, loaded it up with mines, then started creating little 2-mine minefields *everywhere*. Makes you really paranoid, even after defeating his military I couldn't safely send any colonisers or such into his former systems without sweeper escort..." trying that trick now, teach him to send 3 fleets each larger than my whole Navy!! Fleets destruct, I go from Last place to first in one glorious turn!! BTW who is considered the best player at this point, both SEIII and IV, knowing my luck the one I declared war against Last turn! LOL

Gimboid · #20 October 16th, 2001, 05:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by docshane:
It is a treat to see their reaction, returning to that "safe" spot in the system to recoup. Boom! Hehe, ask Gimboid about it.

This is why playing humans is so fun. May the Phage remain pure!

Touche Doc.

i think we are both weary of approching each others planets and systems without minesweepers now...

In regards to strategies id like to add to some of the ones already presented:-

Know what your allies are doing. Also know who your allies allies are, and what they are doing together.

Nothing hurts more then seeing a valued ally turn on you because you didnt notice they were allied with your mortal enemy from day one of your partnership with them.