Personal notes: I have played strategy games since 1990...At the latest. However, all of those games were firmly in the 4X tradition: If you wanted to conquer Other Empire, you rolled your fleets or armies across the border, possibly after inviting a friend or three to the party, and maybe after declaring war. Stellaris makes politics and diplomacy much more important. I'm not complaining; it's a lot of fun. But it's a new challenge, too.
So I'm playing the Roman Star Empire, on a tiny (150 stars), hostile galaxy, no mods, all DLC. I've got the most territory, but it's low on planets. I'm having to use border outposts and colonize far out to get resources and planets.
Next largest is directly across from me, and has more room to expand.
I've got a Fanatic Pacifist technocracy on one side (AUS), and a Fanatic Xenophobe empire on the other (VSE). The latter is the smallest empire, and has declared rivalry.
The AUS likes me; I did the "Literary Saviour" quest and haven't attacked them (they're equivalent in all three, and have more planets in their space. I've caught up in tech; they used to be superior). The VSE hates me (rivalry), and is equivalent in all three.
And the northern Xenophobic empire (TH) is also equivalent.
I'm running missiles, have corvettes and destroyers, and am in the south; with red+blue+bird, because that seemed Roman.
Anyway, my current plan:
1) Build econ a bit more, filling out those new border outposts.
2) Build larger fleets, troop transports and armies.
3) Bulldoze the Ancient Miners in between me and the VSE.
4) Build a frontier outpost right next to them. Colonize near them, if I can. Make them angrier, in short.
5) They declare war.
6) I select two of their planets as war goal compensation for "this outrage!"
7) ???
8) I win the war, and also may scoop up a third planet that still has troops fighting on it.
Comments, critique, better plans, other plans, plans I can also run at the same time?
So I'm playing the Roman Star Empire, on a tiny (150 stars), hostile galaxy, no mods, all DLC. I've got the most territory, but it's low on planets. I'm having to use border outposts and colonize far out to get resources and planets.
Next largest is directly across from me, and has more room to expand.
I've got a Fanatic Pacifist technocracy on one side (AUS), and a Fanatic Xenophobe empire on the other (VSE). The latter is the smallest empire, and has declared rivalry.
The AUS likes me; I did the "Literary Saviour" quest and haven't attacked them (they're equivalent in all three, and have more planets in their space. I've caught up in tech; they used to be superior). The VSE hates me (rivalry), and is equivalent in all three.
And the northern Xenophobic empire (TH) is also equivalent.
I'm running missiles, have corvettes and destroyers, and am in the south; with red+blue+bird, because that seemed Roman.
Anyway, my current plan:
1) Build econ a bit more, filling out those new border outposts.
2) Build larger fleets, troop transports and armies.
3) Bulldoze the Ancient Miners in between me and the VSE.
4) Build a frontier outpost right next to them. Colonize near them, if I can. Make them angrier, in short.
5) They declare war.
6) I select two of their planets as war goal compensation for "this outrage!"
7) ???
8) I win the war, and also may scoop up a third planet that still has troops fighting on it.
Comments, critique, better plans, other plans, plans I can also run at the same time?