by lofung_hk
I just recently got the game. I didn't have the time to test it out but I guess it would work to some extent.Situations needed to be considered for playing this strategy:
1. Planta's absence as they are likely to drain ring III hexes very fast and this strategy revolves around outer space. Better play something else if someone picks it or likes them.
2. Existence of a neighbor Draco. So that it either serves as a protector to you as they would be very busy discovering ring I and II. And soon they would be very busy fighting everyone as they are swimming in discovery tiles. In later games, they might become a good prey as this strategy strongly revolves around orbitals.
3. Play it in a middish game size (like 4p-6p). As if the game size is too small and you throw in all those ancient variants like ancient hives or ancient homeworlds, there would be one less competitor for those ancients. And if there is only one military race, it would basically swim in vps.
4. Non-existence of neutron bombs or existence of Neutron absorber. Slows down potential enemy going into your space.
5. Far away from military races. Simple.
6. Existence of shellworlds, syncs into your orbital play.
7. Existence of mineral related developments, in or out, better be the one trading money and science for material, ditto.
The strategy is straight forward. As if you throw in all those ancient variants, the concentration of ancient in ring III is still low, while the concentration of minerals in ring III is relatively high, go straight for ring III. Avoid ancients as you are going to spend most of your minerals on orbitals early in the game. If you encounter an ancient with a 3-way exit hex, you can still put it aside and go on with another direction. Just do not block yourself out. Avoid warp gates of course unless you are absolutely sure that no one would get another one or you have something to do with a existing warp gate. Keep on discovering ring III such that it becomes a long tail towards the end of the world. Exactly like what typical plantas plays.
Ring III hexes contains highest concentration of discovery tiles too. You will need them for your expansion. Orbitals and minerals are of course useful. Money and science would be good if you have developments exchanging minerals out there.
Build orbitals in every hex you discover. This would make your snake tail become a pain in the ass to conqueror with due to the initial cloaking technology.
Stockpile some material in the middle of the game in case you need defending. Get improved hulls of course, as they are the MOST OP and the cheapest tech for defend. In case someone if attacks you, you would have something to slow him down and farm some reputations at least.
If you have Neutron absorber, that would be perfect. You should be able to get it with ease most of the time as you avoid fighting ancients most of the time, there will be less actions spent and you would pass first quite often. You are allowed to place your population back into your orbital in action phase in case your enemy didn’t wipe you out and you still have the disc on the particular hex. Hence it is extremely important to hold your homeworld as it is the hardest to wipe out all your population and it is the entrance to your backyard. Missiles fleet would be useless in this scenario and you will be farming reputations with them if they cannot wipe your population.
Do not build orbitals after turn 7 or whenever you deem appropriate as your production should reach a leveling-off point where new science/money would not yield any significant advantage. Leave the materials until turn 9 or until anytime unbearable, and then
SPAM MONOLITHS. GG CLOSE GAME.
Yup, artifact key might be useful too if you have the excess science.