Since economy is an even bigger problem in these games, lately I dont do much of this until I'm getting close to the swindle point.  Buy as soon and as many as your economy can reasonably support.  I always start doing this sometime during Year 0.  One way I compensate for having too much colony maintenance is to not build anything on the newly acquired worlds till after the initial swindle happens.

Sentient species taste better...

My current game is the first time I did this on a large scale, and I bought literally every planet that could be bought without an outright swindle (anything I got the "while this planet is not vital..." text). I don't generally delay building on new planets, so I was losing up to 3.5k per turn at one point, but buying bc just barely kept ahead of the drain - the Terrans were particularly cash-rich, I got 7-10k from them every 4 turns for about 6 months, then I got an econ boom in Q3 of year 1 and money stopped being a problem.

At this point I own so much of the galaxy that getting the MCC would wipe out all 7 majors and end the game in about 3 turns. Luckily, no one has XE yet, and even if I did I can't build one. Researching past XE seems to be absurdly low on AI tech priorities.

Eh, I get 1.5x for anything over 40hrs, so they try to limit me on how much OT I get to do.  It's going to a good cause, it's going to the following foundations: Loup needs work done on his transmittion in his car, Loup just bought new cell phones and upped the price of his cell plan, Loup and wife need new glasses, Loup wants to take a friggin vacation.

As for other good causes...eh, I guess it's good for the customer as well.  This stuff will get used by them in their R&D facility for new pharmacuetical drugs.

I'm not a morning person, so AMP's lemonade-flavored energy drink has been my friend first thing in the morning.  I prefer to get any OT time in while the wife is asleep or working on the weekend so as not to cut into any 'us time'.  Now I just need to adjust when I get to sleep and perhaps that would help me out in the mornings.

My bad dreams about college 20 years later aren't about being nude or missing finals....I dream that I get to the end of the semester and only then realized I was signed up for several classes I didn't know about....and now it is finals time. Arrgghhh. Why do we still dream about finals so many years after the fact, lol?

I've had a few of those recently.  I dream that I (for whatever reason) don't go to a class the entire semester and realize it come grades...

Haven't had any about HS though, not since college.  Back in college I had a few dreams that I had forgotten which locker was mine and I had stuff in it.

Forgetting about things until it's too late seems to be a reoccuring theme in my dreams....hrm, gotta look into that (what's that chances of that happening eh?).  I'm glad my new cell got a notepad app to it, so whenever I come up with a thought, I can jot it down.  I swear you could call me Ten Second Tom....

 Now those are good reasons to work OT!

There's very likely some psychological explanation for all those dreams of being late; after all dreams are just the result of an overactive subconsciousness. Not that I really want to know why I also have such a dream a few times a year (yes, I'm only referring to the "arriving late" part)...

Behold the 3 Million Point Character:

Congo Rats (er wait...yer a rodent....do you still eat other rodents?) Snark!

BTW, I posted some info on spy costs on my Espionage guide.  Without looking into things of a complete random nature...I think it's complete.

Damn, it's almost been a year running since I started that post.

Such a great feat requires not only great skill and knowledge in the arts of war, but persistence and dedication to the subjugation of the inferior species of the galaxy.  Honor and glory to Snarkotamus!

Thanks for the espionage update Loup!

Sentient species taste better...

Congratulations, Snark!

Just wanted to say thanks to KP and the rest of you for all of the tips/hints on the GalCore.  I'm not executing anywhere near well enough for a million point game - but by focusing solely on my economy and using the spin control center to keep the AIs off my back, I went from a 11 K 5x5 win to a 29.5 5x5 win.  

By the middle of the game, I was running all tech.  I could have optimized my planets much more - and while I got my military to the don't mess with me point, I didn't terrify the AI either. I did feel in control the whole game - which is a huge improvement over my first Suicidal game where I turtled to a Tech Victory.

As for the Ascension victory, I had the game in hand much earlier I was just practicing managing my economy.You guys may make me into a decent player at some point.... next, I'll try being evil.

Excellently done CypherPax!  Glad we could be of help.   Winning your first game on suicidal is an achievment in itself.  As for a million point game, it takes a huge tolerance for tedium.  If its something you'd like to shoot for, we'll help you get there.  Being in control of the course of the game is definitely a good feeling. 

Sentient species taste better...

OK kiddos. I finally have a day off tomorrow, and nothing to do. So I think its time I crank up the old girl and take her out for a ride. 

So: DA or TA?

and what setup should I go for?

Mind you I haven't played an actual game in almost a year now, so let's not get too hasty.  I think I'd crash and burn on Suicidal.  I could prolly be okay on Maso though.

Start off small with a ZYW in DA, then move on to a medium all-abundant, 5 opponent map, to get back in the swing of things.

Sentient species taste better...

bah. I know what I have planned. But I'll leave it as a surprise

Thanks!!!

Here's a dirty trick for you if you are going to be an evil Super Diplomat:

If you have enough cash and diplomacy, you can buy up most/all of an opponent's fleet and trade to to a minor race For Their Only Planet! I just did this in my current game. Not only do you get the planet and leave your opponent defenseless, all the ships vanish instead of becoming pirate ships.

I'm adding this tip to various others here:

http://snarceanempire.proboards.com/index.cgi

KP is welcome to add it to the War Council too, should he be so inclined.

Nice!   Thanks Snark.

Sentient species taste better...

anything would be a surprise.

My current Swindle is progressing extremely well, and I have no doubts it will be my best game ever.  In addition to changing my technique a bit, I got an econ boom on turn 1 of Year 2.  Not sure exaclty where it will end up, but I'd say well over a million somewhere...  

Sentient species taste better...

I got one in April if Year 2. The econ booms are back!

Here is a screenshot of the Dirty Trick in action:

It sickens me to the bones to witness how you manage(d) to threat an already weak Minor so badly.

rough start: only 80k.  But I can resumbit once, and hopefully I can not make some of the same mistakes, like forgetting to have weapons on my ships to blow up those orbiters.

that would pose a problem       after a year, 80k is a good start. 

It's been quite a while but I don't think I've even reached 80K once, so don't feel bad

It was a ZYW, 80k isn't bad.  If you want 800k, let someone know.