Sins of a Solar Empire

[Dragonus45]

So i found my old cd key for the game and wanted to get into playing it, but i haven't played since release. I was wondering if anyone on the playground played and could give me advice, or would be interested in playing a game.

[Esser-Z]

I'll need to reinstall, then I'd be interested.

[arguskos]

I need to A) reinstall it; and B) acquire Entrenchment and Diplomacy. I've heard they make the game significantly more amazing (not like it wasn't amazing already).

I do love Sins though. I can't wait for a sequel that might even include some plot! :smalleek::smallcool:

[Esser-Z]

Entrenchment and Diplomacy are pretty great, yeah. Starbases make defense way more practical.

[Morph Bark]

I have played it at several LAN-parties (including two week-long ones) with friends and like the game, it is in my top three favourite RTS games. I'm not that good of a player though, so I don't have a ton to offer on advice. I just tend to colonize fast and have a lot of Metal is all.

[arguskos]

Entrenchment and Diplomacy are pretty great, yeah. Starbases make defense way more practical.
I played Entrenchment at a friend's place, and yeah, I really liked Starbases. Didn't play with Diplomacy though, so I've no idea what it brings to the table.

Honestly, I was still getting stomped on by the AIs, which were fiendishly brutalizing and cruel at higher difficulties.

[Esser-Z]

Fast colonization is indeed key. Not sure how good I am--tend to underestimate myself, haven't played enough MP to be sure. I do recommend making a capital ship facility right away, and queuing up a free big colonizer. Makes the first few grabs way easier.


Also: orbital trade is a godsend to your economy.

I note that the higher level AIs actually cheat, so being stomped on by them might not really compare to PvP.

[Morph Bark]

I played Entrenchment at a friend's place, and yeah, I really liked Starbases. Didn't play with Diplomacy though, so I've no idea what it brings to the table.

Honestly, I was still getting stomped on by the AIs, which were fiendishly brutalizing and cruel at higher difficulties.

Basically if you send Envoy ships to other players (well, allies, or at least non-hostiles) then you can build your relationship with them and offer Pacts you have researched to share technology. They can do the same to you, basically offering each other boosts with the research they've done.

[Esser-Z]

Plus, diplomatic victories become possible. And you can give players (including AIs) missions and stuff! 'Tis pretty sweet.

Also, man, M-Bark. Talking to you is surreal, as that's my first initial and the first four letters of my surname. XD.

[arguskos]

Fast colonization is indeed key. Not sure how good I am--tend to underestimate myself, haven't played enough MP to be sure. I do recommend making a capital ship facility right away, and queuing up a free big colonizer. Makes the first few grabs way easier.
I always always ALWAYS do this. At all times do I do this. There's really no reason not to, since Colony Ships take forever to frikkin build, cost a boatload, and tie up your factory for way too long for me to be happy.


Also: orbital trade is a godsend to your economy.
Yeah, trade and the TEC's ability to get orbital refineries are amazing. I always do a lot of both.


I note that the higher level AIs actually cheat, so being stomped on by them might not really compare to PvP.
I didn't tend to PvP that game, simply due to time constraints. The game takes so long to play that I can watch two movies in an average game.

[Toastkart]

I recently bought the game myself and I'm still learning the ropes.

I've played two games where I got totally destroyed by the ai because I made mistakes that I didn't realize at the time were bad ideas.

I'm currently playing a game that's gone on for over 5 hours, and I've only conquered about half the solar system (small single solar system map, no pirates). I'm guessing I'm moving too slowly, as the enemy seems to be able to manufacture bigger fleets than I can, faster, but he throws all of them at once against my planetary defenses and loses badly.

Unfortunately, I have to rebuild a lot of my support ships and basic frigates which apparently gives him enough time to build up a whole new fleet, complete with 2-3 capital ships at anywhere from lvl 2-4.

I recently found an artifact on a planet that helps me build ships faster, but that just means my economy can't quite keep up with the new production rate. Any tips?

[Esser-Z]

I didn't tend to PvP that game, simply due to time constraints. The game takes so long to play that I can watch two movies in an average game.


Fortunately, you can save in multiplayer, and come back to it later!


Evrine, I've found it good to get carrier cruisers and long range frigates ASAP. Focus on them, instead of lights, as soon as is feasible.

[Dragonus45]

The problem with saving multipalyer is u never get the guy to go back and play the game, or i end up being the guy to busy to play. But im still rather beginner if anyone here wants to contact me for a game. I like big games with more than just one person though, and those could potentially waste more time than we have.

[BladeofOblivion]

Ah, I remember the first time I played this game...

I LOVE abusing phase tunneling with the Vasari.

[warty goblin]

I recently bought the game myself and I'm still learning the ropes.

I've played two games where I got totally destroyed by the ai because I made mistakes that I didn't realize at the time were bad ideas.

I'm currently playing a game that's gone on for over 5 hours, and I've only conquered about half the solar system (small single solar system map, no pirates). I'm guessing I'm moving too slowly, as the enemy seems to be able to manufacture bigger fleets than I can, faster, but he throws all of them at once against my planetary defenses and loses badly.

Unfortunately, I have to rebuild a lot of my support ships and basic frigates which apparently gives him enough time to build up a whole new fleet, complete with 2-3 capital ships at anywhere from lvl 2-4.

I recently found an artifact on a planet that helps me build ships faster, but that just means my economy can't quite keep up with the new production rate. Any tips?

Upgrade your economy ASAP. Each race has a branch on their civilian line that increases their metal and crystal harvesting (for Advent and TEC they're different techs for each resource, for Vaseri it's one for both).

Also upgrade your ship's survivability in the combat tech tree. Those extra 5% shields and health make a lot more difference to survivability than you think.

Finally, and most importantly, control your frontage. By this I mean identify planets that serve as choke-points, and seize them by any means necessary. It is vastly better to be able to concentrate your fleets in one or two locations then to have to defend against possible attacks on multiple planets. If you're playing with Entrenchment - which you really should get if not as it makes the game much better - invest in Starbases. Yes they are massively expensive, but they are that rare RTS defensive unit that actually completely justifies its cost. With combat upgrades I've seen a minimally supported Starbase lay waste to entire enemy fleets.

[houlio]

I usually find that the most important part of the game is good fleet synergy, e.g. hoshikos with TEC, micromanaging overseers with vasari, using that damned shield restore ability with the advent.
If your ships can outlast the enemy, it means more money on techs not spent on replacing ships, which then means more and better ships in general.

[Toastkart]

Upgrade your economy ASAP. Each race has a branch on their civilian line that increases their metal and crystal harvesting (for Advent and TEC they're different techs for each resource, for Vaseri it's one for both).

Also upgrade your ship's survivability in the combat tech tree. Those extra 5% shields and health make a lot more difference to survivability than you think.

Finally, and most importantly, control your frontage. By this I mean identify planets that serve as choke-points, and seize them by any means necessary. It is vastly better to be able to concentrate your fleets in one or two locations then to have to defend against possible attacks on multiple planets. If you're playing with Entrenchment - which you really should get if not as it makes the game much better - invest in Starbases. Yes they are massively expensive, but they are that rare RTS defensive unit that actually completely justifies its cost. With combat upgrades I've seen a minimally supported Starbase lay waste to entire enemy fleets.

Yeah, this is basically how I've been doing things, I just apparently haven't been doing them fast enough. I should have mentioned before that I'm playing TEC against the vasari and that I have both entrenchment and diplomacy.

Right now I have two chokepoint planets each with a small fleet with a Kol battleship supporting the orbital defenses, including a fully upgraded starbase.

I also have my main fleet that I've been using to attack the enemy. It has a big dent in it from the last attack, but I had to stop playing last time in the middle of rebuilding so I don't remember the exact numbers of ships I have in it. It's built around 1 Kol, 2 Marzas, 1 Dunov, and 1 Sova. I think the Dunov and 1 of the Marzas are still lvl 9, the rest are lvl 10.

[kkortekaas]

As the TEC I'm a huge fan of carrier ships and defensive hangers.

Swarms of fighters + defensive fleet = win

Plus, fighters are reletively cheap to replace.

For offense, mix in a couple cap carriers with your regular caps, as well as some actual carriers all with a mix of fighters / bombers and you should be golden.

[Timberwolf]

Got it
Installed it
Played it
Beat it

Left it
Missed it
Reinstalled it
Played it

Technologik etc etc etc

Yes, It's a great game. I've got them all. Not sure what state of patching they're ijn though. I'd be up for a few games.

[Dragonus45]

Unfortunately i dont have the expansions, so i feel like im missing out now. Anyone who is interested in a game should pm me.

[Eldan]

So...
I got the expansions, installed them both.
I started Diplomacy, but it doesn't seem to include the new features Entrenchment promised (i.e. starbases), while the core game doesn't have either...
Is it really the case that you can only play with the features of one expansion at a time?

[Esser-Z]

No, you can play with them both. I installed both, then launched through Diplomacy, and it used them both.

[Eldan]

Huh. Am I then just not seeing the new features included in Entrenchment? How do you build these starbases, then?

[Esser-Z]

Check out the research menu. There's a defense-oriented tab added by Entrenchment. Research the starbase building cruiser, then build it wherever cruisers are sold, and have it morph into a base where you want it.

[Eldan]

Aaah, a special build ship. No wonder I didn't find it in the build menu.

Thanks.

[Esser-Z]

Sure thing!

[Kizara]

So anyone want to play entrenchment with me?

Or vanilla, its not like I can't live without starbases.


Don't have diplomancy atm.


Just give me a time (in say, EST) and I'll meet you on Ironclad.

[Smight]

I can usually play in the afternoons, but I'm at 1+CET :smallfrown:

[Kizara]

So from my research, CET is about 8 hours difference from MST.

So 7pm for me is 3am for you.

Likewise, 3pm for you is 5am for me.

Not sure about the +1 tho, is that 9 hours difference then?

We will need to start later then this. 10am (or 8pm for you) is doable for me.

I am unwilling to play between the hours of 2am and 10am, and would prefer more of an afternoon start time.

[Shas aia Toriia]

Just wondering, does anybody know any good build orders for Vasari in 2v2?