I do love playing +industry based races, but I don't think it is so invincible or clearly superior in all aspects. Neither is creative for sub-max tech, since if one is creative the they don't have to (not that a human player won't) focus resources to gain max researchable tech. In exchange for losing +industry or other, they gain the possibility of not needed up to 6300 production points (63 max spies * 100 production cost) per opponent. However...
Once +morale bonuses kick in, the difference between Unification and Democracy governments (+industry and +research respectively) isn't by a large factor. Maybe .8 vs 1.0, so 20%, other things given equal. I don't usually go for creative myself when competitive against a creative race, since tech is relatively easy to level, harder to gain advantage against. But a decent tech advantage effectively negates the numbers one. Let's see, 3 Battleship class ships with several autofire phasers, cybertronic computers +100 beam attack and inertial stabilizers +50% beam defense vs 14 LR beam ships w/o intertial stabilizers or decent computers +beam attack. Uh, I'd bet on the tech advantaged one-- who can hit and avoid being hit.
Not that any decent player would have only heavy assault ships. But clearly a few essential techs will turn the tide in battle. Whether its the +beam attack, the inertial dampener/stabilizer, radiation shield for planets, autofire phasors, or other. Be creative. Numbers does not guarantee victory. If you're concerned with early production competition? Research based players beeline to +industry facilities, automated factories, Robotic Mining, and support: pollution processors, hydroponic farm, soil enrichment. Between experienced players of their style, the battle is made to become level ground because each can counter the other.
I don't advocate pure tech will guarantee the game (maybe against computers), since that can be leveled with tech stealing (spy, conquer, diplomacy). Nor +industry racial bonus (countered with +production facilities & tech). Industry and Research are pretty solid squared against each other production-wise, late game, +morale bonuses countering the government bonus. Early +industry and +population bonus is curbed by farming needs (unification helps that luckily), but one still needs decent planets for farming and to build freighters to support less arable planets. Yes, tolerant makes a great early-mid game +industry bonus too, as well as +pop, but that -10 in racial picks means one can't pick much else. A decent government, uni or democracy, costing 6 and 7 respectively iirc from a max total of 20
Personally, my favorite "uber" research combination includes the following positive traits: Subterranean (6), Democracy (7), +2 Research (6). Lots of researchers gaining from both +2 racial and +50% governmental bonuses right from the get-go, late game leaving planets with +1000-2000 research points. (note the absence of creative trait). I have a major tech advantage and tend to steamroll over all those primitive races, leaving Psilons and a few submissive races alive to steal tech I'm missing from.
I'm suprised no one mentioned tractor beams through all this. They negate the beam defense bonuses, allow boarding, and computers tend to auto-destruct the turn of staying immobile finishes!
Ah enough Moo2 for today... I'm salivating over the Moo3 box and store display. I can't wait for tomorrow!
<b>Edit: Make that wednesday. Bah!</b>
Once +morale bonuses kick in, the difference between Unification and Democracy governments (+industry and +research respectively) isn't by a large factor. Maybe .8 vs 1.0, so 20%, other things given equal. I don't usually go for creative myself when competitive against a creative race, since tech is relatively easy to level, harder to gain advantage against. But a decent tech advantage effectively negates the numbers one. Let's see, 3 Battleship class ships with several autofire phasers, cybertronic computers +100 beam attack and inertial stabilizers +50% beam defense vs 14 LR beam ships w/o intertial stabilizers or decent computers +beam attack. Uh, I'd bet on the tech advantaged one-- who can hit and avoid being hit.
Not that any decent player would have only heavy assault ships. But clearly a few essential techs will turn the tide in battle. Whether its the +beam attack, the inertial dampener/stabilizer, radiation shield for planets, autofire phasors, or other. Be creative. Numbers does not guarantee victory. If you're concerned with early production competition? Research based players beeline to +industry facilities, automated factories, Robotic Mining, and support: pollution processors, hydroponic farm, soil enrichment. Between experienced players of their style, the battle is made to become level ground because each can counter the other.
I don't advocate pure tech will guarantee the game (maybe against computers), since that can be leveled with tech stealing (spy, conquer, diplomacy). Nor +industry racial bonus (countered with +production facilities & tech). Industry and Research are pretty solid squared against each other production-wise, late game, +morale bonuses countering the government bonus. Early +industry and +population bonus is curbed by farming needs (unification helps that luckily), but one still needs decent planets for farming and to build freighters to support less arable planets. Yes, tolerant makes a great early-mid game +industry bonus too, as well as +pop, but that -10 in racial picks means one can't pick much else. A decent government, uni or democracy, costing 6 and 7 respectively iirc from a max total of 20
Personally, my favorite "uber" research combination includes the following positive traits: Subterranean (6), Democracy (7), +2 Research (6). Lots of researchers gaining from both +2 racial and +50% governmental bonuses right from the get-go, late game leaving planets with +1000-2000 research points. (note the absence of creative trait). I have a major tech advantage and tend to steamroll over all those primitive races, leaving Psilons and a few submissive races alive to steal tech I'm missing from.
I'm suprised no one mentioned tractor beams through all this. They negate the beam defense bonuses, allow boarding, and computers tend to auto-destruct the turn of staying immobile finishes!
Ah enough Moo2 for today... I'm salivating over the Moo3 box and store display. I can't wait for tomorrow!
<b>Edit: Make that wednesday. Bah!</b>