Newbie looking for some advice

[Boozie]

Hi, just re-installed this game the other day and was trying to read up on strategies since I never was "good" at this game. I'm not bad per se, I really love the tactical fights (I play vs AI, not multi) and coming up w/ new ship designs.

Basically I'm just here to look for any links to strategy guides/advice worth reading for single player (I don't mind reading the multi ones since I bet some of it carries over).

I've read this one http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2005 ... guide.html
and learned a decent amount from it.

In particular I was wondering about some of the terminology I've read on this site.

FF seems to be really common. Now I realize they're just frigates and they have high initiative because they're small (i think). Now what I don't know is why it's FF instead of F. I read about Bpod + 2x fast mirv Nuke for these small guys can help to take out space monsters. Is FF for like fighter frigate? Meaning I equip a fighter bay on a frigate (will that fit?) Fusion frigate? Lol I have no clue. Also do you unlock MIRV once you've researched the next better missile? What if I skipped merc missiles and got something else in that category?

BB, DD, CA... whoosh over my head. I can tell they're ships and that 1 letter is probably for size, but don't really know outside of that.

So I'm kinda all ears for any advice or guides to read.

(awesome site btw)

edit: I get bombarded w/ leader offers in my current game and can't really tell who to take and not to take. Any advice on that would be appreciated too.

[Cabman]

Hi !
Here is the answer for your first question
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/156 ... c84a_o.jpg
And here the second one:
http://www.moo3.at/moo2/leaders.php
Enjoy

[Boozie]

Cool, thanks for the links. I knew they were ships, I just didn't understand if they were code for specialty ships.

So about the leaders, what traits are too good to pass up? From what I can tell, researchers are good early game. I like famous, megawealth, and spiritual all seem really good to me. Other than that, does commando effect your troops when you're invading someone else's planet? That would seem good to me. Fighter pilot, helmsman, and Gal. Lore are the other ones that seem really good. Does all the ships "in the fleet" mean all the ships at the same location?

Last Q, can you only have 4 leaders of each type or can you scroll down after you get 4? If it caps does that mean you don't get any offers after you have your 4?

Probably some dumb questions, but I did search for answers here and elsewhere before posting.

[Cabman]

So about the leaders, what traits are too good to pass up? From what I can tell, researchers are good early game. I like famous, megawealth, and spiritual all seem really good to me

spiritual is generally crapp since we usually take uni(fication) in our games. production bonus is cool, enviromental-at the begining unless you're tolerant, instructor is also worth it's money.

does commando effect your troops when you're invading someone else's planet?

yes it does ..you can check it while invading planets.

Fighter pilot, helmsman, and Gal. Lore are the other ones that seem really good

fighter pilot is a crapp - fighters are not considered as a good weapon.
helmsman, weaponry are good (affect whole fleet, not only one ship as stated in description) ordnance is excellent,navigator,gal. lore is a killer.

Does all the ships "in the fleet" mean all the ships at the same location?

..yes

Last Q, can you only have 4 leaders of each type

yes

Probably some dumb questions, but I did search for answers here and elsewhere before posting.

yes , but i gladly answer another ones

[Boozie]

Ya since I'm really just playing SP I'm kinda stuck in creative/democratic/warlord rut since I'm not overly concerned about early production. I figure once I get a few games under my belt (haven't played this in literally 5 years+), I might try dropping creative/demo and venture out a bit.

So as far as missile stacking goes, do I want fast MIRV or just MIRV (seems like it doesn't take up too much more space for fast)? Once I get pulson (assuming I should research puslon) do I swap to MIRV merc missiles or stay w/ nukes? Also at what size ship do I start to bother putting on PD lasers for defense? Or is that an afterthought once you run out of room you just put some on. (which lasers are ok for PD and which should I not do?)

Thanks for all the answers so far!

[Cabman]

http://masteroforion2.blogspot.com/2005 ... guide.html see ship design section. (as well as others eg. race picks)

[Boozie]

Ok I got a few more questions.

How do captured colonies work exactly? If I capture another races colony do I get my race's inherent bonuses or theirs in terms of production/research. Another example would be if I'm lithivore and capture someone who isn't, I have to then feed them right?

I've seen "lithtol" everywhere but that seems like it'd be a pita if I actually capture a lot of my cities instead of making new ones.

Also I've read that you can capture a sakkara planet (subterranean) and if you transport 1 to another planet suddenly your max pop goes up (you get the subterranean bonus?). That seems pretty hax.

Another questions is what do you actually gain with ships being higher levels and how do you see their level/experience? I've seen stars on ships before so I assume the # of stars represent the level, but I'm really not sure. Is there a table somewhere that shows the bonuses from having a higher level ship? I've seen that certain refinements on weapons require a higher level to use, but that's about it.

Again, sorry if these appear to be ignorant questions. Outside of my sloppy wording, a search in the forums and google give me no answers.

[c'g~]

Hi, Boozie.

How do captured colonies work exactly? If I capture another races colony do I get my race's inherent bonuses or theirs in terms of production/research. Another example would be if I'm lithivore and capture someone who isn't, I have to then feed them right?

Captured colonists preserving Prod/Res/Food bonuses/negatives, as well as Tolerant/Lithovore/Subterranean but to some extent (read description in Game for Tolerant and U will figure out). Some of Race Specials like Creative do not preserves.

So If U captured non Tolerant/Lithovore colonists U need to feed them and they will create pollution, etc. In another word your Race race picks do not applies on captured colonists (but about this I don’t know for sure – just test and you’ll figure out)

Also I've read that you can capture a sakkara planet (subterranean) and if you transport 1 to another planet suddenly your max pop goes up (you get the subterranean bonus?). That seems pretty hax.

Yes It’s working, but partially (only for colony with Subterranean colonists on them and like I said partially) – read Tolerant description in Game – it works the same (it’s works with Android Workers cos they are tolerant)

Another questions is what do you actually gain with ships being higher levels and how do you see their level/experience? I've seen stars on ships before so I assume the # of stars represent the level, but I'm really not sure.

U gain attack bonus for Beams (it’s stacks with Computer/Battle Scanner bonuses) and defense bonus of Beam/Missile evasion (it’s stacks with other def bonuses)

Level and experience displayed with Stars or Crew Exp Level (U can see Crew exp level when U Scan the Ship in the battle or in the Main Screen – right click on it and in the middle U will see Crew quantity and level of exp:
- Green Crew (no Star, 0 exp) 0% att/def bonuses
- Regular Crew (1 Star, 50 exp (defaults for Warlords)) 15% att/def bonuses
- Veteran Crew (2 Star, 150 exp (50 for Warlords)) 30% att/def bonuses
- Elite Crew (3 Star, 500 exp (150 for Warlords)) 50% att/def bonuses
- Ultra Elite Crew (only with Warlords race pick, 500 exp) 75% att/def bonuses

I've seen that certain refinements on weapons require a higher level to use, but that's about it.

Refinement do not related to Experience levels of Ship’s Crew.

1 level of refinement means, that U need to research further next 1 Research Desk on the same branch of Tech Tree where contains Tech, which represents weapon/system, which need 1 level of refinement (sorry for confusing explanation). In simple, U just need to research further for getting refinements (and miniaturization too – if U didn’t notice, some of the weapons/systems is getting smaller each time, when U research further).

Again, sorry if these appear to be ignorant questions.

Everybody was newcomers – so it’s ok

c’g~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>

[Boozie]

Refinement do not related to Experience levels of Ship’s Crew.

1 level of refinement means, that U need to research further next 1 Research Desk on the same branch of Tech Tree where contains Tech, which represents weapon/system, which need 1 level of refinement (sorry for confusing explanation). In simple, U just need to research further for getting refinements (and miniaturization too – if U didn’t notice, some of the weapons/systems is getting smaller each time, when U research further).

Whoops! I totally misunderstood that haha. An example would be I need to research Merc Missiles to use Mirv Nukes. I already knew that hehe. I just thought they were claiming you actually needed a level 1 ship to use it. I understand now.

Thanks for taking the time to clarify all of this for me.

[Time]

FF seems to be really common. Now I realize they're just frigates and they have high initiative because they're small (i think). Now what I don't know is why it's FF instead of F.
BB, DD, CA... whoosh over my head. I can tell they're ships and that 1 letter is probably for size, but don't really know outside of that.

It looks like you found the meaning to these. I thought I'd add that some of these were originaly Military names of sea vessels.
FF - Frigate
DD - Destroyer
CA - Heavy Cruiser
BB - Battleship

Titan and Doom Star, of course, were not.
The Abbreviations are used commonly in other games of this same genre, Star Trek, Star Fleet Battles and Astrowars come to mind and Naval board games/software.

Enjoy the game.

[Turbo Beholder]

Also do you unlock MIRV once you've researched the next better missile? What if I skipped merc missiles and got something else in that category?

Whoops! I totally misunderstood that haha. An example would be I need to research Merc Missiles to use Mirv Nukes. I already knew that hehe.

For refinement purpose only Tech levels matters (number of fields, not specific technologies). So either Merculite or PP researched gives +2 fields — or both stolen/captured to step into next field. The same for Mass Driver (AF) and Shield III, Fusion Beam (Env) and Neutron Scanner etc.

Also I've read that you can capture a sakkara planet (subterranean) and if you transport 1 to another planet suddenly your max pop goes up (you get the subterranean bonus?). That seems pretty hax.

Any pop with higher limit — Tolerant/Androids, Subterranean... perhaps Aquatic — for Humans Ocean is only 25% max pop, for Trilarian it's Gaia and 100%, so 5 humans on Large Ocean and it's full for them, but for trils it still has 15 free space.
You can pack planet to the limit of more sensitive population (until warning) and then add droids/tols in space left only for them (until next warning). But only lesser maximum is shown so you'll get something like "10/8" pop. Still, if you're not notifyed on transfer/android build that limit will be overstepped, it's not and no one dies.

[Cyborg Snowman]

Hey guys, I'm in the exact same boat as Boozie. I used to play this game a lot when it first came out (and I paid $50 for it in 1996(?)) but I haven't played it in at least 10 years. I loaded it up again this past weekend and was shocked at how lost I am

You guys are very helpful, thanks!