Fighting against superior enemies is (unsurprisingly) VERY dangerous.
From my experience, the way to go is to fight a war of attrition until either their fleet is weakened enough so you can defeat it OR until they are exhausted enough to agree to a White Peace.
Some things to keep in mind:
(1) Avoid open combat with the enemy if your fleet is inferior. A larger empire will usually have more ships AND more capacity (both in terms of M and Space Ports) to replace losses.
(2) If you want to fight, try luring the enemy fleet into one of your systems that has a Space Port. The extra fire power and HP from it can turn the tide if the enemy is only moderately superior.
(3) In the early game, Space Ports are also excellent as stand-alone defence. Building a small defence platform next to them to FTL snare enemies jumping into your system can allow you to completly wipe enemy stacks at that stage of the game.
(4) If the enemy is vastly superior and you stand no chance at all in space combat, your best bet is to play for time. Retreat whenever his fleets attack your systems. Once the enemy has taken over a planet wait until his fleet has moved on, then come back to re-take it. Swoop in to bomb down defences and land your army (I'd recommend 10+ troops). Retreat immediately when the planet is freed and fall back.
(5) If you have enough INTEL about your enemy (fleet positions and potential Space Ports/Defence Stations), you can dare to raid offworld stations to disrupt the economy. If your fleet is strong enough, you can also try to take down his Space Ports.
(6) Keep in mind that the enemy can have vast reserves of M and E. I had wars that dragged on for a decade until my enemy finally ran out of steam. Be patient - and don't make mistakes.
(7) On the flip side, remember that you can trade with other empires. Sell excess E or M, Star Charts, Active Sensors or even Research Treaties if you need resources. Use any leverage you have.
(8) Losing your fleet can be devestating, but since the AI is usually quite slow with advancing into your territory, you can get a second chance. Build ships in all available Space Ports and make sure you set a safe Rally Point.
Outside of war you should try to get on good terms with your (other) neighbors. Send gifts, sign Non-Aggression Treaties, Guarantee them. Everyone could be a potential ally later on. If you are friends with a powerful empire, try to sign a Defensive Pact. Keep in mind that Rivalries are VERY important for the AI, so make sure you target the right emoires with them to get more friends.
On an even more basic level, you can try to play a different Galaxy Type or change the numbers of AI empires and/or advanced starts.
From my experience, the way to go is to fight a war of attrition until either their fleet is weakened enough so you can defeat it OR until they are exhausted enough to agree to a White Peace.
Some things to keep in mind:
(1) Avoid open combat with the enemy if your fleet is inferior. A larger empire will usually have more ships AND more capacity (both in terms of M and Space Ports) to replace losses.
(2) If you want to fight, try luring the enemy fleet into one of your systems that has a Space Port. The extra fire power and HP from it can turn the tide if the enemy is only moderately superior.
(3) In the early game, Space Ports are also excellent as stand-alone defence. Building a small defence platform next to them to FTL snare enemies jumping into your system can allow you to completly wipe enemy stacks at that stage of the game.
(4) If the enemy is vastly superior and you stand no chance at all in space combat, your best bet is to play for time. Retreat whenever his fleets attack your systems. Once the enemy has taken over a planet wait until his fleet has moved on, then come back to re-take it. Swoop in to bomb down defences and land your army (I'd recommend 10+ troops). Retreat immediately when the planet is freed and fall back.
(5) If you have enough INTEL about your enemy (fleet positions and potential Space Ports/Defence Stations), you can dare to raid offworld stations to disrupt the economy. If your fleet is strong enough, you can also try to take down his Space Ports.
(6) Keep in mind that the enemy can have vast reserves of M and E. I had wars that dragged on for a decade until my enemy finally ran out of steam. Be patient - and don't make mistakes.
(7) On the flip side, remember that you can trade with other empires. Sell excess E or M, Star Charts, Active Sensors or even Research Treaties if you need resources. Use any leverage you have.
(8) Losing your fleet can be devestating, but since the AI is usually quite slow with advancing into your territory, you can get a second chance. Build ships in all available Space Ports and make sure you set a safe Rally Point.
Outside of war you should try to get on good terms with your (other) neighbors. Send gifts, sign Non-Aggression Treaties, Guarantee them. Everyone could be a potential ally later on. If you are friends with a powerful empire, try to sign a Defensive Pact. Keep in mind that Rivalries are VERY important for the AI, so make sure you target the right emoires with them to get more friends.
On an even more basic level, you can try to play a different Galaxy Type or change the numbers of AI empires and/or advanced starts.
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