In article <43agq1$rnp@ixnews6.ix.netcom.com>,
   shimes@ix.netcom.com (Scott Himes ) wrote:
>
>I'm playing in a game as the robots, for my first time. Can some one
>give me some help on playing as the robots (ex. ships to build,
>actions, allies to make, and other stuff) Oh also we're in about turn
>6.

Okay, here's what U want to do.  First off, depending on how the host is 
setup, U might have a Cat's Paw (your ONLY torp ship) with 300 torps already 
on it.  Send your Cat's Paw to a nearby planet, peferably CLOSE to your 
homeworld, and set the mission to lay mines.  There's your advantage.  The 
robots lay 4 times the amount of mines per torp than the other races.
In turns down the road a little ways, have all your Cat's Paws go to some 
planet and have their friendly code on "mkt" and have the minerals and $$$ on 
board that will produce torps (same ratio as for SB's...).  Then have the 
ships lay mines as the mission.  This strategy is currently working wonders 
for me in a game I'm playing currently.  You'll have massive mine fields all 
over the place.  Otherwise, Cat's Paws really aren't very good for much else. 
 
The next thing U want to do after that first Cat's Paw is taken care of is 
colonizing.  LG Deep Space Freighters and Super Freighters.  Just get them out 
as fast as possible and try to conquer as many unknown planets as possible.  
Do the normal strategy of trying to be neighborly of course.  Setup borders, 
and be careful to not dump a huge mine field on top of your ally....it upsets 
them....

Once U get a few Large Freighters heading off in different directions, begin 
building Q tankers...  put Warp 1 engines on it, because U want them right 
there around your SB's...  Once built, put 1 fuel on them, change their 
Friendly code to "lfm" and their mission to build fighters.  From then on, the 
only thing U do with your Q tankers is every turn remove as many fighters off 
each as possible and place them on your fighter carriers, and any extra, try 
to store on the SB....until that overflows.  It is not uncommon for me to have 
5 or more Q tankers in orbit around each of my SB's...but then I make over 160 
fighters every turn from them.  

After U get the first 1 or 2 Q tankers produced, build your best ship - 
Instrumentality class.  It's relatively cheap for how strong it is.  This is 
an excellent ship!  U want a whole fleet of them, with only occassional Golem 
Carriers too.  Until U produce 80 fighters from your Q tankers, keep that 
Instrumentality in orbit with lfm and build fighters.  Once U hit 80 fighters, 
fill up the Instrumentality class, change its Fcode and Mission and send it 
off.  BTW, the Instrumentality's should have lasers on them.  They recharge 
faster than the bigger weapons...that way when U fight another fighter 
carrier, U can blast more fighters faster.  

Even though my strategy sounds like it'll leave U kinda undefended for the 
first several turns, you're not.  Your mine field(s) will be a considerable 
defensive power if another race decides to come after you.  You'll enjoy 
reading the many Distress calls from enemy ships that have hit your mines.  
Quite entertaining.  And then when U begin to mass produce those 
Instrumentality Classes....you've got a fleet that isn't going to be ignored. 
With your Q tankers making at least 80 fighters a turn on the SB that U 
eventually decide has enough resources to produce several 
Instrumentalitys...U've got yourself a production line.  Good luck, hope I 
helped!!!

mlandsea@netusa1.net (SWAMi)
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