I don't understand this game.

[caffran]

I've just given up on another run through after about twelve hours play because it just does not make sense.

I've read advice to try with no advanced AI starts to get a chance to build and expand.

I set zero advanced starts, two FE's and hit play. It's about 2260 ish and so far I've discovered half a dozen advanced empires, and still no FE yet.

Why are there empires stronger/larger than me when I opted for no advanced starts?

One of them declares war on me for . . . reasons.

I go to the war screen to set my war goals. there aren't any. all I can click on is 'white peace'. is this right?

According to the 'intelligence' we get on other races they have a superior fleet strength but equivalent naval capacity.

I run into their doomstack and its twice the size of mine.

How?

How can they support a fleet twice as large as their naval capacity allows? surely it would bankrupt their economy?
Isn't that the point of naval capacity? if you can just build as many ships as you want why is it in the game at all?

I don't understand how it works.

They then proceeded to kill my entire fleet, so that's it. another game gone, another twelve hours wasted.

I'm passed the angry stage now, I've reached apathy. I'm on the verge of uninstalling.

Is this game JUST about war? is that all there is?

 

[Tim_Ward]

What difficulty level are you playing on?

 

[caffran]

regular/normal. not the hard version. Am I missing something or is this it?

 

[Grimtalos]

No your not missing it, that is pretty much all there is to it.

 

[Tim_Ward]

Alright then.

Why are there empires stronger/larger than me when I opted for no advanced starts?

Because they're better at the game than you?

One of them declares war on me for . . . reasons.

They want your stuff. If you're facing hostile empires that want you stuff (e.g. they've rivalled you, they share a boarder, they're more powerful than you and they've got an aggressive personality type) then I highly recommend you make some defensive allies as a top priority, and focus on militarising yourself.

I go to the war screen to set my war goals. there aren't any. all I can click on is 'white peace'. is this right?

Can't parse this - maybe post a screenshot?

How?

How can they support a fleet twice as large as their naval capacity allows? surely it would bankrupt their economy?
Isn't that the point of naval capacity? if you can just build as many ships as you want why is it in the game at all?

1) fleet power doesn't just represent the number of ships, but their capabilities - maybe their ships are just better than yours?
2) going over naval capability isn't that punitive in the early game. It'll cost you more, but it won't bankrupt you.

Is this game JUST about war? is that all there is?

It's very war focused, yes. Banks might do a bit to change that.

 

[caffran]

First, thanks for the replies.

OK, so zero advanced starts, does not mean zero 'equivalent' starts is that correct?

So just ignore 'intelligence' screen and just build as many ships as possible and keep them updated just incase?

That's a little disheartening I'll be honest.

I was going to ask if Leviathans is worth getting to improve the RP gameplay but I don't think ill bother.

Maybe in a sale.

 

[Tim_Ward]

It does, but clearly some of the other empire's expanded faster than you.

 

[Derp]

No offense but you must be expanding at a glacial pace if any non-advanced, normal difficulty AI is larger than you that early in. I'm not even talking about conquest; peaceful colonization alone is enough to surpass them at those settings.

 

[Hapchazzard]

OK, so zero advanced starts, does not mean zero 'equivalent' starts is that correct?

Zero advanced starts means every empire(except FEs) will be of equivalent strength in the beginning. However, it doesn't mean everyone will still be equal 60 years into the game.

So just ignore 'intelligence' screen and just build as many ships as possible and keep them updated just incase?

No, just mostly ignore the "naval capacity" number and focus on their fleet strength and (to a lesser extent) technological level - those are the numbers that are actually important.

No offense but you must be expanding at a glacial pace if any non-advanced, normal difficulty AI is larger than you that early in. I'm not even talking about conquest; peaceful colonization alone is enough to surpass them at those settings.

Considering the fact that OP's naval capacity was equal to the AI's, I'd assume that country size isn't the actual problem. OP either hasn't built their navy up to their full capacity, or the AI just has better military tech.

 

[malkindav]

You need to pay attention for each weapon pros/cons. As well before going to war you should know what kind of weapons and what kind of FTL does your foe using. Properly built navy that is designed to counter a specific hostile navy can shred to pieces navy that has 2 times bigger score. As well keep attention to FTL types. Each FTL has it's weakness that can be abused in order to gain an upper hand. For example if you kill your enemies jump stations he can be stranded without any ability to get back to war. You can use a guerilla type warfare against a stronger enemy that ca really cripple his economy so he will be have to start chasing you.
The biggest tip of them all is to fit your ships correctly against your foes. It will do magic

 

[Tim_Ward]

On thing to keep in mind about early wars is, you're basically invincible until the average fleet strength is about 3k or so.

Say some dudes come at you with 2k fleet power, and you only have 900. You're screwed, right? No, you just go and hide at a space port. Space port is about 1.4k. 0.9 +1.4 = 2.3 k = they're the screwed ones.

It's actually not that difficult to trick the AI into fighting your fleet at a space port, either. The AI's war behavior is quite simple. If they have more fleet power than you, they'll just pick a planet and attack it. As soon as you detect them, you can see which one it's going to be by clicking on their fleet. Make sure your fleets gets there before them, and so long as your fleet strength plus the space port is higher than theirs you'll probably win or at least fight them to a draw.

If you're not stronger enough for that to work, then they will bombard the planet until the fortifications are gone and then invade it. If you can destroy the transports en-route they'll just sit there bombarding the planet until they build some new ones. If you can't do that, wait until they move into to attack the next planet, then sneak in behind them and retake the first world. They'll go back and attack the first world once they've finished taking the second one, and so on. You can delay them long enough to build up your fleet this way.

Also, if they're attacking a planet and you take your fleet and go into their territory and attack a few mining stations or w/e they will immediately drop what they're doing and pursue more fleet, buying yourself a bit more time.

 

[Kvinfojoj]

Focus more on minerals early-game. Colonize 4 additional core planets ASAP (if there are 4 available), then you will snowball and beat the AI handily.
Regarding war goals, you need to set those right at the beginning of the conflict unfortunately. If you didn't set any, then all you can do is white peace (or surrender).

 

[Secret Master]

So just ignore 'intelligence' screen and just build as many ships as possible and keep them updated just incase?

That's a little disheartening I'll be honest.

Other empires can be very covetous of your stuff. Unless you have good relations and a NAP or Defensive Pact, I'd view all of them as potential enemies.

In Stellaris, even Xenophiles need to protect what's theirs.

 

[Atahal]

I've just given up on another run through after about twelve hours play because it just does not make sense.

Yes, this is it, the game doesn't make sense ! This is probably that, not you, being bad or not understanding some points of the game, right?

I set zero advanced starts, two FE's and hit play. It's about 2260 ish and so far I've discovered half a dozen advanced empires, and still no FE yet.

I need a confirmation, but i think this is "Max FE on map", so you can have 0 FE. I am not sure about it, but i think this is possible. Sometime, i have only 3 FE on the map, even if it's 4 FE MAX.

IWhy are there empires stronger/larger than me when I opted for no advanced starts?

Beause they are better.
I don't know what you are expecting here. The other empires are not there to passivly oberve you.

IOne of them declares war on me for . . . reasons.

Because he is stronger and larger?
Probably because you have bad relations with him (Rivality, border friction, opposite ethics, etc). You can see it on the diplomatic screen, when you talk to him...

II go to the war screen to set my war goals. there aren't any. all I can click on is 'white peace'. is this right?

When an other empire wardec you, you receive a little notification telling you you have to set your war goals. You have one month to do it. Don't miss the window.

IAccording to the 'intelligence' we get on other races they have a superior fleet strength but equivalent naval capacity.

II run into their doomstack and its twice the size of mine.

And?

How can they support a fleet twice as large as their naval capacity allows? surely it would bankrupt their economy?
Isn't that the point of naval capacity? if you can just build as many ships as you want why is it in the game at all?.

I don't understand how it works.

Your Naval capacity depends of the number of planets under your control, if they have space ports, and the level of the spaceports. You have also raise it with leaders, governments, and research.

They then proceeded to kill my entire fleet, so that's it. another game gone, another twelve hours wasted.

12 hours for 60 years game seems a bit exaggerated... This is a more or less 4 hours for me, and i am not even playing in fastest mod...

I'm passed the angry stage now, I've reached apathy. I'm on the verge of uninstalling.

Not realy the game's fault if you are not even trying to understand how the game works.
You have a tutorial, a rich wiki, and thousands of video to help you understand it. Just use it, and you will see.

Is this game JUST about war? is that all there is?

Moslty. There is a lot more, but anyway i would say the finaly of the game is about it.