Fast peaceful initial exansion

[MirEgal]

With Banks, I want to try a peaceful tall endgame. Either lead a federation or just do my own thing in my own borders. Build some habitats, maybe build a ringworld and just try to outtech everyone.

However, in the initial phase, I want to cover as many systems as possible to get a nice base for the later tall play.

What are possible ways to do this? Some obvious ideas:

• No clustering when starting
• No advanced neighbors
• When playing with hyperlanes (I prefer this setting), build frontier outposts at choke points and close borders to everyone until the systems are secured
• Only minimum fleet to have resources for other things

What are additional ways? Civics, buildings, techs (maybe improve influence techs for more outposts?), ethics...

 

[Gregsplays]

since the detailing on civics has yet to be revealed, i can't give you any advice on them, but for early game expansion, take the expansion traditions tree early on, and on your first ascension perk, i believe there's one which gives you five more core systems, which would be useful if you want to spread then build tall, try and focus on the techs in society that give you more influence so you can build more frontier outposts, and although it seems mean, you should try and choke other Ai players you meet initially to try and take as much space as possible, that'll give you more avenues to spread out with.

 

[MGoods]

Frontier outposts, the border expansion civic and covering your neighbors' natural expands (the two worlds next two them that they're guaranteed to get that are their species preference) and make sure they don't war you by offering 30 year 1 cred/mineral and/or research agreements early. (alternatively, rival them once you've blocked their expansion which will gimp them for free influence for more frontier outposts.

Remember that frontier outposts on stars that give energy don't cost energy upkeep, giving you at least +4 effective energy (if there was a star that gave just 1 energy, which is impossible IIRC)

 

[Matoro_TBS]

Aggressive frontier outposts are extremely effective. Don't worry to put them so far your starting borders don't connect - post stops just by being there a lot of enemy expansion. It probably blocks hyperlanes and makes life harder jor others to go around. Now, optimal is that the planets you are going to colonize go inside that outpost area, but you can also take a bit of a risk and build the frontier outpost beyond good colonizing candidate, so that those uncolonized planets fall between your starting position and the frontier outpost.

 

[Surimi]

By far the easiest way to expand really fast is to pick extremely adaptive as a trait. Unless the habitability system is reworked (I haven't read the patchnotes in detail) that will boost your habitability high enough to colonise any planet straight out the gate. From there it's just a matter of spamming out colonies and dealing with the sector cap (if you're going pacifist, this will really help). The important thing if you're playing with clustered starts is to try and grab your neighbours free planets (the two planets which spawn near the homeworld of every empire). This will leave them extremely weak for the early game and ensure they don't become a threat. Clustered starts are an advantage here, in fact, because it means more guaranteed habitable planets near your starting area.

This strategy was kind of insane in the current built and lead to the most ridiculously OP game I ever played.

Government-wise, I'd suggest pacifist and agrarian idyll for sure.

 

[Sheriff Godwin Law]

With Banks, I want to try a peaceful tall endgame. Either lead a federation or just do my own thing in my own borders. Build some habitats, maybe build a ringworld and just try to outtech everyone.

However, in the initial phase, I want to cover as many systems as possible to get a nice base for the later tall play.

Play pacifists, agrarian idyll or inward perfection. Use the unity to get yourself the first tier of the expansion tradition and bask in the beauty of -50% colony ship cost. Forward settle early and establish your borders while fleet strengths are too weak to tackle spaceports then build up a fleet ASAP to protect.

If you're lucky, you've crippled your immediate neighbors by cutting off their expansion and will have until their neighbors on the other side consume them to get your fleet built up.

 

[mackau]

By far the easiest way to expand really fast is to pick extremely adaptive as a trait. Unless the habitability system is reworked (I haven't read the patchnotes in detail) that will boost your habitability high enough to colonise any planet straight out the gate. From there it's just a matter of spamming out colonies and dealing with the sector cap (if you're going pacifist, this will really help). The important thing if you're playing with clustered starts is to try and grab your neighbours free planets (the two planets which spawn near the homeworld of every empire). This will leave them extremely weak for the early game and ensure they don't become a threat. Clustered starts are an advantage here, in fact, because it means more guaranteed habitable planets near your starting area.

This strategy was kind of insane in the current built and lead to the most ridiculously OP game I ever played.

Government-wise, I'd suggest pacifist and agrarian idyll for sure.

Extremely Adaptive & Rapid Breeders is a great combo.