Frequently Asked Questions for Newbies

[capnq]

2.4.2. Fleets are asssigned Formations and Strategies with the Change Formation/Strategy (H) order. Fleet strategy takes precedence over ship's strategy, unless/until the ship breaks formation. (capnq) [Replaced the reference to the "chess piece icon"]

[Ruatha]

The Thread Begins again

[ October 07, 2003, 07:41: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[eorg]

2.4.1. 'engine only' weapons hit not only movement but the weapons too - engines are destroyed with supplies which, with current patch, makes weapons to not fire at all (of course if you don't have supply component)

[kalthalior]

Should probably put in something about researching Psychology and Political Science (Urban Pacification Center) after you conquer a planet so the natives don't get restless.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by kalthalior:
Should probably put in something about researching Psychology and Political Science (Urban Pacification Center) after you conquer a planet so the natives don't get restless.

Please make an entry and I'll add it, somethingabout what it does and how and why or whatever, I'm a newbie, I don't know

I just add entries from this thread and occasionally Posts from other threads that I think I understand.

All input is Welcome

[ 10 May 2002, 15:59: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[kalthalior]

FAQ SE4
------
This is for us newbies, all feel free to add to this faq, correct errors, spellcheck and bump.
Change the order if it needs to, long live chaos.
Elite players share your knowledge, newbies, add the answers to your questions here when you receive an answer.
First, read:Malfador Q&A Section
and: Un-Official Space empires IV Strategy and Tactics Page

-------------------------------------------------
CIVILIZATION BUILDING
*********************
COLONIZING
==========
1.1.1. Put people on your colony ships. The colony module gives the ships some cargo space, use transfer cargo to put people on the ship so that your colony gets some population, otherwise the new colony won't build anything (Saying "Never" on construction time). (Suicide Junkie)

1.1.2. If the colony ship is currently at a planet with population, it will automatically load pop for you if you use the Colonize (C) order, or the Send Colony Ship button under Planets (F4). The latter button will not always work if the colony ship has moved. (capnq)

1.1.3. Colonies with 0 population have the "dome" symbol even if it is a planet with a breathable atmospere, the symbol disappears when you populate the colony. (Rdouglass, Suicide Junkie)

CONSTRUCTION
============
1.2.1. Units can be only be put in the construction queue as multiples such as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, up to 200 at a time. (TerranC)

1.2.2. Exception: "One turn's worth" will put however many can be built at the current construction rate; if the unit can't be built in one turn, this still adds 1 to the queue. (capnq)

SHIPS
============
1.3.1 Upgrading engines. Taking engine tech to level 2 (or three) just makes the engines cheaper. One level after that, you'll get an engine that gives a bonus movement point. Then two more levels of cheaper, another faster engine, etc. Upgrading engines that doesn't improve performance makes you loose some money overall, but if you keep that ship like that for a while the maintance savings add up. (Phoenix-D)

1.3.2. Giving a ship orders to move to place X, then before ship reaches X, giving it orders to move to place Y will NOT cancel move to place X. Instead you will now move to place X and then move to place Y! (Taz-in-Space)

WAR
***
INVASION
========
2.1.1. To build troops that can invade enemy colonies explore "Construction" and "Troops"; the troops needs some weapons also, explore "Small Weapons" and/or "Troop Weapons". (capnq)

2.1.2. Then construct troops as you construct ships, build them and load them on ships.
You can now invade other colonies.
Even if you do not have "Ice colony" capabilities you can invade such colonies. (Gandalph, Cynapse)

2.1.3. Few planets have shields. The Massive Planetary Shield does not stop troop invasion and doesn't have to be "taken down" before troop landing. (Sinapus)

2.1.4. If you invade a colony you gain all that has not been destroyed in the battle, facilities and population. The population will be of the race that colonized the planet, if for example you are oxygen breathers and the colony race are methane breathers, you can move the new race to your colonies with methane. This will increase the possible amount of facilities if the new population is the only race on the planet, ie all breathe the same atmosphere. (Gandalph)

2.1.5 If the planet has weapon platforms and you successfully invades it, the platforms remains but comes under your control. (TerranC)

2.1.6 After (or hopefully, before invading) research Psychology, then Political Science. This allows you to build Urban Pacification Centers on conquered worlds that improve the captive population's happiness so that they do not riot. (kalthalior)

2.1.7 After conquering a world or race that breathes a different atmosphere that your own, build colony ships so that you can take advantage of worlds with that atmosphere (i.e., if you conquer methane worlds/races, use the population to colonize other methane worlds so that you can build more facilities on those worlds than you could using your own population). (kalthalior)

2.1.8 Transfer population from other atmosphere breathing conquered worlds/races to worlds you have already colonized that have that atmosphere, and pull your own population off to get the same effect as 2.1.7 above with regards to increasing facility slots on worlds.

WEAPON PLATFORMS
================
2.2.1. Weapons Platforms must be stored on one of your colonized planets to be able to fire. (Phoenix-D, Jmenschenfresser)

SHIP CAPTURE
============
2.3.1. To capture enemy ships you must first research "Military Science" and "Ship capture".
Add component "Boarding Parties" to your ship design. In battle take down enemy shield then board. Watch out for self destruct mechanisms, they may take out your ship too. (Captain Kwok)

2.3.2. Or use a level 2 intelligence project called "Crew Insurrection" where you plant a spy on the enemy ship and attempt to convince the crew to join your cause. If successful, the ship is yours to do with as you please. (Gandalph)

2.3.3. If you start with the Psychic Trait, you can research an "Allegiance Subverter" which is a weapon that when fired will convert the crew (and thereby the ship) to your side. (Gandalph)

2.3.4. Once you've captured an enemy ship, you can take it to a space yard and analyze it. You may be able to get new tech like Rock Colony etc, but racial techs like organic and temporal will be a mystery unless you've got those traits. (Captain Kwok)

WEAPONS
=======
2.4.1. Engines are the storage for supplies on the ship, therefore "Engine Only" weapons not only hits movement but the weapons too - No engines -> No Suplies -> Weapons can't fire at all, unless you have undamaged "Supply Component" (Georgig)

2.4.2. Shields Skipping.
As is well documented the "Engine Only" and "Weapon Only" damage types skip all shields and armor and get straight to the component.
One might assume that the "Only Boarding Parties" and "Only Security Stations" weapons do the same thing, but they do not. They only skip armor. (geoschmo)

STRATEGIES
==========
2.5.1. Ships and units can be assigned default strategies in Designs (F3) under the Stats/Strategy toggle.
These Strategies can (and really should) be customized under Empire Status/Strategies (F11).

2.5.2. Fleets are asssigned Formations and Strategies with the Change Formation/Strategy (H) order. Fleet strategy takes precedence over ship's strategy, unless/until the ship breaks formation. (capnq)

TECHNOLOGY
**********
3.37. RELIGOUS STUDIES
======================
3.37.1.4.1. TALISMAN
The Talisman allows every hit to score.
SE IV treat stack of units (weapon platform on planet, stack of satelites, stack of fighters) as one "ship". This is why you need only one RT to get the benefit for all units in stack.
You may notice that the absolute maximum to-hit that you can get from experience is 99%
The talisman gives you 100%. That tells you these two effects are quite separate, since the experience is applied before the total is capped at 99%, and the talisman applies afterwards. (Jim, Suicide Junkie, Oleg

[kalthalior]

FAQ SE4
------
This is for us newbies, all feel free to add to this faq, correct errors, spellcheck and bump.
Change the order if it needs to, long live chaos.
Elite players share your knowledge, newbies, add the answers to your questions here when you receive an answer.
First, read:Malfador Q&A Section
and: Un-Official Space empires IV Strategy and Tactics Page

-------------------------------------------------
CIVILIZATION BUILDING
*********************
COLONIZING
==========
1.1.1. Put people on your colony ships. The colony module gives the ships some cargo space, use transfer cargo to put people on the ship so that your colony gets some population, otherwise the new colony won't build anything (Saying "Never" on construction time). (Suicide Junkie)

1.1.2. If the colony ship is currently at a planet with population, it will automatically load pop for you if you use the Colonize (C) order, or the Send Colony Ship button under Planets (F4). The latter button will not always work if the colony ship has moved. (capnq)

1.1.3. Colonies with 0 population have the "dome" symbol even if it is a planet with a breathable atmospere, the symbol disappears when you populate the colony. (Rdouglass, Suicide Junkie)

CONSTRUCTION
============
1.2.1. Units can be only be put in the construction queue as multiples such as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, up to 200 at a time. (TerranC)

1.2.2. Exception: "One turn's worth" will put however many can be built at the current construction rate; if the unit can't be built in one turn, this still adds 1 to the queue. (capnq)

SHIPS
============
1.3.1 Upgrading engines. Taking engine tech to level 2 (or three) just makes the engines cheaper. One level after that, you'll get an engine that gives a bonus movement point. Then two more levels of cheaper, another faster engine, etc. Upgrading engines that doesn't improve performance makes you loose some money overall, but if you keep that ship like that for a while the maintance savings add up. (Phoenix-D)

1.3.2. Giving a ship orders to move to place X, then before ship reaches X, giving it orders to move to place Y will NOT cancel move to place X. Instead you will now move to place X and then move to place Y! (Taz-in-Space)

WAR
***
INVASION
========
2.1.1. To build troops that can invade enemy colonies explore "Construction" and "Troops"; the troops needs some weapons also, explore "Small Weapons" and/or "Troop Weapons". (capnq)

2.1.2. Then construct troops as you construct ships, build them and load them on ships.
You can now invade other colonies.
Even if you do not have "Ice colony" capabilities you can invade such colonies. (Gandalph, Cynapse)

2.1.3. Few planets have shields. The Massive Planetary Shield does not stop troop invasion and doesn't have to be "taken down" before troop landing. (Sinapus)

2.1.4. If you invade a colony you gain all that has not been destroyed in the battle, facilities and population. The population will be of the race that colonized the planet, if for example you are oxygen breathers and the colony race are methane breathers, you can move the new race to your colonies with methane. This will increase the possible amount of facilities if the new population is the only race on the planet, ie all breathe the same atmosphere. (Gandalph)

2.1.5 If the planet has weapon platforms and you successfully invades it, the platforms remains but comes under your control. (TerranC)

2.1.6 After (or hopefully, before invading) research Psychology, then Political Science. This allows you to build Urban Pacification Centers on conquered worlds that improve the captive population's happiness so that they do not riot. (kalthalior)

2.1.7 After conquering a world or race that breathes a different atmosphere that your own, build colony ships so that you can take advantage of worlds with that atmosphere (i.e., if you conquer methane worlds/races, use the population to colonize other methane worlds so that you can build more facilities on those worlds than you could using your own population). (kalthalior)

2.1.8 Transfer population from other atmosphere breathing conquered worlds/races to worlds you have already colonized that have that atmosphere, and pull your own population off to get the same effect as 2.1.7 above with regards to increasing facility slots on worlds. (kalthalior)

WEAPON PLATFORMS
================
2.2.1. Weapons Platforms must be stored on one of your colonized planets to be able to fire. (Phoenix-D, Jmenschenfresser)

SHIP CAPTURE
============
2.3.1. To capture enemy ships you must first research "Military Science" and "Ship capture".
Add component "Boarding Parties" to your ship design. In battle take down enemy shield then board. Watch out for self destruct mechanisms, they may take out your ship too. (Captain Kwok)

2.3.2. Or use a level 2 intelligence project called "Crew Insurrection" where you plant a spy on the enemy ship and attempt to convince the crew to join your cause. If successful, the ship is yours to do with as you please. (Gandalph)

2.3.3. If you start with the Psychic Trait, you can research an "Allegiance Subverter" which is a weapon that when fired will convert the crew (and thereby the ship) to your side. (Gandalph)

2.3.4. Once you've captured an enemy ship, you can take it to a space yard and analyze it. You may be able to get new tech like Rock Colony etc, but racial techs like organic and temporal will be a mystery unless you've got those traits. (Captain Kwok)

WEAPONS
=======
2.4.1. Engines are the storage for supplies on the ship, therefore "Engine Only" weapons not only hits movement but the weapons too - No engines -> No Suplies -> Weapons can't fire at all, unless you have undamaged "Supply Component" (Georgig)

2.4.2. Shields Skipping.
As is well documented the "Engine Only" and "Weapon Only" damage types skip all shields and armor and get straight to the component.
One might assume that the "Only Boarding Parties" and "Only Security Stations" weapons do the same thing, but they do not. They only skip armor. (geoschmo)

STRATEGIES
==========
2.5.1. Ships and units can be assigned default strategies in Designs (F3) under the Stats/Strategy toggle.
These Strategies can (and really should) be customized under Empire Status/Strategies (F11).

2.5.2. Fleets are asssigned Formations and Strategies with the Change Formation/Strategy (H) order. Fleet strategy takes precedence over ship's strategy, unless/until the ship breaks formation. (capnq)

TECHNOLOGY
**********
3.37. RELIGOUS STUDIES
======================
3.37.1.4.1. TALISMAN
The Talisman allows every hit to score.
SE IV treat stack of units (weapon platform on planet, stack of satelites, stack of fighters) as one "ship". This is why you need only one RT to get the benefit for all units in stack.
You may notice that the absolute maximum to-hit that you can get from experience is 99%
The talisman gives you 100%. That tells you these two effects are quite separate, since the experience is applied before the total is capped at 99%, and the talisman applies afterwards. (Jim, Suicide Junkie, Oleg

[Taz-in-Space]

Perhaps we should include instructions for building Ringworlds and Sphere worlds.

To Build a Ring worlds (or Sphere worlds) you need to:
1.) build on a star.
2.) create a Spaceyard ship (a ship that contains a shipyard component)
3.) take the spaceyard ship to the star you want to build your world on.
4.) start building STARBASES containing the components you need for the Ring/Sphere world.
5.) once you have all necessary components, build go to the component activation icon to activate the construct - all the built starbases and components will disappear and you will have a ring/sphere world there instead.

NOTE: to speed construction (it takes awhile) you can construct bases housing more shipyards.

[capnq]

1.3.3 To change a ship's current orders, use Clear Orders (hotkey Delete) first.

Repairs and Retrofitting
========================

1.4.1 A damaged ship will be repaired if it is in the same sector as a planet with a Space Yard facility, or a ship or base with a Repair Bay or Space Yard component.

1.4.2 The order in which repairs are performed is set with (F11) Empire Status/Repair Priorities. Clearing the priorities list will leave only the component types that you have the technology to build; more entries become available when you research the corresponding techs.

1.4.3 Ships and bases can be retrofitted to another design at a spaceyard. The Retrofit option appears under Scrap/Analyze/Mothball (hotkey G). The new design must have the same hull size as the old one, and have a combined total cost in resources of no more than 150% of the old design. Designs more than 150% apart can be retrofitted by designing one or more intermediate Versions.

1.4.4 Units cannot be retrofitted. (capnq)

Remote Mining
=============
(Somebody who uses this more than I do should write an entry for it.)

[Gandalph]

Remote Mining
=============

1.5.1 To use Remote Mining you must first design a ship, base, or satellite with remote mining components.

1.5.2 Remote mining uses supplies and maintenance, for this reason it is best to use bases as they have infinite supplies and reduced maintenance costs. If you use bases, you must build it with a Space Yard ship at the desired location.

1.5.3 Only one vehicle per location will actually mine the location. If you put one robo-minerals satellite and one robo-radioactives satellite at the same location, only the first one placed will actually generate resources. However, if you build a base with different mining components (ie 6 robo-minerals, 4 robo-radiactives, 2 robo-organics for example) all mining components on the station will produce, (but only 1 base per location).

1.5.4 Remote mining depletes the available resources at the location. It does not happen quickly, but you will see the value of the location drop over time.

1.5.5 It is possible to remotely mine any asteroid or UNCOLONIZED planet. As long as the location has a resource value, it can be mined. Once you place a colony on a planet it can no longer be remotely mined.

[ May 14, 2002, 04:00 PM: Message edited by: Gandalph ]