30 seconds in...

[Minotaar]

You set your first scouting route, and the first planet you scout has 4/4 resources... and a SuperTerminal.
What kind of setup would make you blow it up and take the planet?
Basically, this just happened, and I have no idea how to value the ST. Had one in my previous game and ended up not using it because I either had too little AIP to lose or could just go ahead and win. However, I see people swear by these things all the time.
So, what would you do? Will post more details on the setup if requested.

[x4000]

I would leave it until you have greater forces in order to be able to take it later on, honestly.  It won't help you in the short term, and it's only going to make it more likely that you'll not get maximum benefit out of it if you take it too soon.

[Minotaar]

Well, using it is of course out of the question, as there is no benefit to be gained, but is destroying it just to have access to the (rather vast) resources of the planet even a viable thing to do? That's what I want to hear opinions about 

[x4000]

Sure, you can definitely do that.  It depends on if you plan on racking up a lot of AIP or not.  Super Terminals are by no means required for victory, so if you're naturally conservative in your AIP increases anyhow, then you may as well just destroy it since it's demonstrably in your way in this game.  Some other players might really disagree, but you have to bear in mind your playstyle and not anyone else's.

[Catma]

I'd leave it for now and see if you can find a decent amount of resources on other nearby worlds. Is it going to pose a significant security risk? Is there a bottleneck or other defensible point behind it, so you can keep it totally cut off? Neuter it in the medium-term, if you decide not to take it, and it shouldn't be TOO bad to have a MK1 world on your doorstep. I think.

[Shrugging Khan]

Neuter and move on. It might become a massive asset later on; 4/4 resources can be found elsewhere.

[Minotaar]

Well, I already blew it up after realizing I was in actual hell (8.3/8.3 with their 30+ guardians per planet and SSBs and Maws AND Blade Spawners? What the? It's not even a Spireling, but a freaking Cluster Bomber!?!) and really needed some easy planets to put econIII on. Maybe if I can power up some Spirecraft that would help with the offense, and I can't possibly do it without a decent economy. At least I got Impulse Reaction Emitters from the conveniently-placed ARS, looking forward to trying that out on those damn battleships 

[MordredofFairy]

Well, using it is of course out of the question, as there is no benefit to be gained, but is destroying it just to have access to the (rather vast) resources of the planet even a viable thing to do? That's what I want to hear opinions about 

just to correct that in CASE you had a wrong impression on that:
You _CAN_ work up a reduction debt. That is, any accumulated reduction never goes to waste. Next time you up your AIP, reduction will apply that you worked "up" before.
So well, there could be some benefit to be gained.

I had a same case in a game a while ago, with 7/7 comps, and some other easy planets to take. So i did that, and then focused all my attention on the ST. Was too early to really have a chance of holding it perpetually, but it DID help somewhat...

[Shrugging Khan]

I had -90 AIP in my last game, thanks to sending out a dozen waves of scouts and a few transporters full of Tigers to every Data Centre in range. The game was ridiculously easy after that, with AIP constantly smootsched down to the floor.

So maybe it's not even a bad idea to go for AIP reduction early on.

[zoutzakje]

despite this being an old topic and the OP has most likely already finished his game, I figure I'd say something on the matter anyways. I would leave that planet and go for something else first, despite the nice resources. An early game fleet really isn't enough to be able to stop the ST enemy ships for a long time. I always wait until I have a few golems and some spirecraft before I take my chances with a ST. It wouldn't be the first time a ST saved my butt.

[Minotaar]

Hell no I didn't finish that game yet! I can only take it a few minutes at a time The setup is really tough and punishing if I screw up an attack. Which happens A LOT if you are attacking into bladespawners+maws+SSBs  3 hours in, and lost it twice already. And I did destroy the terminal, would be even harder if I left it there. Not sure I can win, but maybe in a month or so... 

[MordredofFairy]

i feel your pain -_-
ever since a game a while ago,  i feel tempted to quit whenever i see AI bladespawners.
30-50 of them per planet were so painful...when you'd manage to cut them down a BIT, while you rebuilt your fleet, there would be 3 more than before.
A MKIV planet in that game was the first time i resorted to a nuke.

[zoutzakje]

yeah I've had my share of hard games as well lol. And to bad about the Super Terminal, but I guess it was unavoidable. I had to beat my last game without the ST as well, because it was sitting on a Coreworld lol.
On a side note, gravity turrets really help for defending against balde spawners. Only offensive is tricky.

[NickAragua]

Recently, I lucked out and had a Dyson Sphere Golem next to an AI Superterminal. I milked it until it started spawning MK V ships. Then, Keith gave me a present and made Dyson Gatlings able to shoot at Mk V ships, so I milked it for another -40 AIP. Eventually, though, the MK V ships started overpowering the gatlings, and I had to blow it up. I probably could have gone another 20-40 AIP, but it kept spawning tractor platforms, which would drag a large chunk of my fleet away.

So, long story short, if you can find a Dyson Sphere Golem nearby, you can get the gatlings to help deal with the fellas spawning from the SuperTerminal. Otherwise, neuter and come back later when you have a solid fleet going. When you look at it, 4/4 resource patches isn't much more than an extra system with an econ station.