Question on ship designs

[rexnervous]

Pretty basic one, but a50 will be my first arena.

The manual says to build a speed 2 settler you need two rocket engines and 1 settler bay. However, in the design screen when I add the settler bay the speed drops back down to 1. In fact, to make the speed 2 you have to add 5 (!) rocket engines, which makes the price impossible.

What gives?

And - any basic advice on ship designing?

[Domasc]

Thats normal, and the price is ok, you will use these only for interstellar settlers anyway. So your shipdesign looks pretty good to me. :)

[Domasc]

Erm, I didnt mean that its normal that the manual is wrong (though its also not unnormal ;)), but your shipdesign is ok.

[Eddi]

yeah, the size of the settlebay got increased... and the manual didn`t get updated everywhere... so you just have to live with that...

i`d probably wait until i could effort that s2 settler. except you have a large planet very near.

[rexnervous]

wow - thanks for quick responses.

So if I have a decent planet within say 10 or 12 units I should go ahead and send out an s1 settler since it's cheaper?

Also - is speed fractional? Meaning, is there a difference between an s1 settler with 1 engine and an s1 settler with 4 engines?

[Domasc]

Email Notification rocks. ;)

Yup, in my opinion you should settle these planets with s1 settlers, for the price of 1 s2 settler, you get 2 s1 settler...and your income is not very high in the beginning. *g* I would also leave out those planets with size <10 until you bought the berzoid planet enhancer.

Speed is not fractional, speed 1 is always speed 1.

[Eddi]

i meant more 1-5 ticks...

the s2 settler would be for one of your near stars, cause it`s generally a good idea to arrive there before anyone else.

and no, speed is not fractional.

[Eddi]

to domasc`s reply (i need to get faster ... (or resort the posts :p)):

to get berzoid enhancer you probably need to settle these planets...

i would send out 2 or 3 speed 2 settlers to the next stars and go on settling my system with s1 settlers while they are travelling. and especially i`d try to settle all the planets at once (if the settlers arrive within like 3 turns, i`d wait the short time) and set tax to 0 for 1 turn (make sure you have enough money)

also i`d set my tax to 83% for a few turns (at least 8) to get the money, that is crucial for that state of the game. and you can also do the 1st researches/buildings (science lab/factory) done in 2 turns, and after 8 turns you start with nuclear on 100% science.

[crissXcross]

believe him, he just wants your best :cool: .
Because winning an arena is almost a decission of a good coordinated start ;) and of course the right connections, but with a real good start you almost don't have to fear other connections against you....

[Eddi]

yeah, he knows what he`s talking about. he fealt my lack of connections already :D

[Dearth]

Noobish question: Why 83% tax rate for 8 turns? ... what's magical about 83%.

[Eddi]

you still produce 250 science or prodution. and with researches/buildings costing 500 each...