Re: GALAXY: Crappy position (how to start)

From: desj@ccr-p.ida.org (David desJardins)

Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 15:39:25 +0000

Robert A. Hayden <hayden@krypton.mankato.msus.edu> writes:
> I've just started a new galaxy game and after doing some computations and
> figuring, I realize that not only am I up against a wall (giving me only
> 180 degrees to move in), but I haven't a single planet within about 15 LY
> or so.

Assuming version 3.3 or greater of the rules (very important).

Figure out who your neighbors are (in most games the players are just
assigned homeworlds in consecutive numerical order), and talk to them.
Establish boundaries which give you a reasonable number of planets
(approximately 1/N of the total in the game, where N is the number of
players).

Build enough transports to get all of your colonists off of your home
planet and to colonies, so they can start reproducing.  This is vital as
if you fall behind in population growth, you can't catch up for a very
long time.  Have your planets build capital, but don't worry too much
about shipping it---it's possible to catch up on that.

Research drive tech and cargo tech, somewhat more of the former than of
the latter.  (Don't do cargo tech yet if your version is less than 3.3;
i.e., if cargo tech doesn't reduce effective mass of cargo.)

Build big transports with huge cargo bays, fast enough to haul large
amounts of capital to your nearest planets in a reasonable period of
time (probably two turns when traveling out full, and one turn when
returning empty).

Ship large amounts of capital to your colonies, which should have
sizable populations by now so they can quickly take advantage of all of
it and build more.  Expand them rapidly to max them out.

This will take you through the first 25 turns or so.  After that you're
on your own.

David desJardins

P.S. Don't get attacked by anyone in that time.

References

GALAXY: Crappy position (how to start)
hayden@krypton.mankato.msus.edu (Robert A. Hayden)
Sat, 19 Jun 1993 07:50:44 +0000