I won't go for a comprehensive strategy guide yet, I have to much
other stuff to do. I'll give some hints I got from playing, and
maybe I'll get around to doing a big guide later.
Colonization
Whenever Colonizing a system, make sure you terraform
every planet you can, since this will give you the maximum population
possible, and take advantage of every bonus available
Try to build Starfleet Construction Yards or the equivelant
in every one of you colonies, since this will allow you to extend your
ship range around the colony to protect it and to attack from it better
Build as many colonies as early as you can, since then they
will be big strong colonies capable of supporting your fleet once you
find an enemy empire
Combat
When fighting in combat, concentrate all your firepower on
what you deem to be the greatest threat, once that is taken out fire
on the next greatest threat, until all have been eliminated. If you
spread your fire out each target will live longer, and keep fighting longer.
When organizing your forces, keep a perimeter of starships
around all your borders with hostile empires, and keep them pretty
evenly balanced. A command ship or two and a couple of support ships
like destroyers or cruisers per fleet work well. That way all threats
can be spotted. If an incoming fleet aproaches that is to strong for
the mini-armada, then fall back and pull the nearest other mini-armadas
back as well, redeploying into a large fleet capable of destroying the
attacker. The same principle applies for attacking. Draw a couple of
mini-armadas together and charge.
Research
When you are researching, be aware of what you need for
the next advancement you want. If it is starships, buildings whatever,
if there is one technology you need, concentrate on that technology in
your emphasis.
Concentrate on Technology early in the game as much as possible
to give yourself a head start on your rivals. Then you can switch to
production or whatever else. Then you can smash your destroyer I class
wielding enemies with your fleet of Galaxy class Enterprise wannabees and
Defiants.
