Author Topic: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?  (Read 2481 times)

Offline steelwing

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Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« on: February 10, 2015, 08:32:20 am »
So I'm trying a Betrayal Mode game.  I'm trying to keep the other races friendly while I build up my resources and get ready to take over the solar system.
*cue evil laughter*  >D
The problem is, once I start taking planets, I know I need to keep up the pace, and this is very early in the game.  I've only gotten one armada cap upgrade.  How long do I need to focus on keeping the other races friendly until I start backstabbing them?

Offline x4000

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2015, 08:38:45 am »
I would really say that depends on the situation in the rest of the solar system.  Apologies for being vague there, but basically if they are fighting one another a lot and/or having low armada counts for some other reason, then you can push outward more quickly.  In particular, you could take down some potentially deadly foes early, like the Burlusts or Thoraxians, if there's an opening.

If everyone is strong and growing stronger, and not doing much focusing on one another... well, if they all turn on you you're going to die.  So a big part of this decision is figuring out how you're going to manage their attention.  If you are in a situation where they are suitably scary, personally I hang back until things feel more settled. 

Snapping up the very weakest planets doesn't tend to be too useful (I don't think) because that doesn't really give you a good return on income compared to the ire you generate... though some players probably super disagree with that.  I'm just a cautious sort of player, really.

Anyway, my own thought is to try to get discord between the other races that outweighs what they feel for you.  Then snap up the most theoretically threatening races, and/or races with medium power, and/or races that aren't a part of the discord and thus which would grow strong in between the carnage same as you will.

The TLDR, I suppose, is that it's not just about managing your own expansion.  It's about making sure that everyone else has so much fighting with not-you that your actions are lost in the background noise and you aren't the one being hammered on constantly.
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Offline steelwing

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2015, 09:07:11 am »
Anyway, my own thought is to try to get discord between the other races that outweighs what they feel for you.  Then snap up the most theoretically threatening races, and/or races with medium power, and/or races that aren't a part of the discord and thus which would grow strong in between the carnage same as you will.

The TLDR, I suppose, is that it's not just about managing your own expansion.  It's about making sure that everyone else has so much fighting with not-you that your actions are lost in the background noise and you aren't the one being hammered on constantly.
So focus early on getting them fighting each other as much as possible.
The Burlusts are one of the weaker races at the moment.  In an effort to be sociable, I hit up their Prime Warlord for a duel.  When I won, the turmoil attacks landed on my doorstep.  Maybe once that's all over, I can try encouraging them to hit the other races up.  I don't really want to take their planet away from them just now, since that incurs a -80 (I think) influence penalty with every race in the system.  I'm not sure I can afford that kind of ill will when I have just enough firepower to be able to hold two planets. :P

Offline x4000

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2015, 09:12:58 am »
Sounds like a reasonable plan. :)
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Offline steelwing

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2015, 09:55:32 am »
:) Thanks, glad you thought so.
Tangentially...why was the decision made to make coop research and coop property development unavailable in Betrayal Mode?  In Standard, the most (perhaps the only) effective way to research early on is to do it cooperatively with another race.  Cutting that off seriously slows the player down in the early game, in terms of improving technologically.  Once you can get your hands on a few science-boosting techs, solo research becomes viable, but you need the help of another race until then.  Once you start conquering other races, sure, having the remainder cut off the technology flow makes great sense.  In fact, maybe...
Ooooooh, time for a Mantis post... ;)

Offline x4000

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2015, 09:57:10 am »
Mainly to have a different game-flow that has the player using different tools, honestly.
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Offline steelwing

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2015, 10:07:55 am »
Here's an idea for you... ;)

Offline x4000

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2015, 10:08:46 am »
Not for right now, but possibly in the future. :)
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Offline steelwing

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2015, 10:12:19 am »
Sure, you guys are busy right now. :) When you're ready, it's there for you to look at.

Offline x4000

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Re: Betrayal Strategy - When do I want to start taking planets?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2015, 10:14:32 am »
Cheers, thanks!
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