PBW rocks!, I love playing this game!
The things I have noticed for pbw:
1. Never underestimate mines!!! (or DUC's!)
2. Go for Armor 4 (stealth armor) FAST!
3. Go for Military Science FAST, especially the ship fleet/ship training facilities, MAX out the levels too. Ship/fleet experience is everything, esp since battle order occurrs in order of player number.(I am currently 8th of 8 players in a game, gonna be a tough one to climb to the top of the Heap!
)
4. Engine Destroying weapons rule!
5. Beware, EVERYONE has PPB early!, stock up on armor!
6. Most players lower their racial strength to 50%, same for repair and trade, and perhaps organics if not an organic race. So be unique/different, take 120 str and conquer those planets with troops fast!!
7. Don't forget sensors to see those stealth ships, best placed on 1 satellite per system around a heavily defended planet.
8. Hidden repair/Base Yards in Nebula can be a real advantage, as can mining satellites in asteroids for minerals.
9. Emotionless, REALLY consider taking it. When at war you can be toast real quick when 5-8 planets in a system start rioting after 1 or 2 planets are glassed.
10. Psychic/Religious, Talisman/Subverter, need I say more?? (for long range, Mental Singularity/Talisman, rocks!)
11. EVERYONE has PDC to the max, fighters and missiles are pretty much obsolete but they can make a good surprise when a complete weapon change is made, use all beam fleets and then suddenly switch to missiles, catch the enemy with pants down!
12. Never retro-fit everything at once....
13. Beware Askan, he will KICK your butt!!!
14. sEEE thirtEEEn!
(seriously, there are some incredible players out there, as well as some really good roleplayers! Also are the rare ones that do both quite well, they make the game enjoyable even if you are losing!).
Well, enough babbling for now....time to check pbw and see if their are any new turns for the 6 games I am in!
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"We are all...the sum of our scars"....(paraphrased) Matt. R. Stover-'Blade of Tyshalle'.
"Human existance is all imagination...Reality is no more than a simple agreement among its participants that this is where we shall meet, and these are the rules that we shall abide by."- Kevin McCarthy/David Silva "The Family:Special Effects"..