Trade Wars: Going to War

(H)

Don’t use your best ship to investigate a sector. Use extra ships. These could be something you’ve captured from a Ferrangi, your old Freighter, even a just purchased Orion; something that takes two turns to warp. Expect to lose these ship.

(I)

Tow one ship into a sector you plan to Invade using a crap ship. The crap one should have lots of shields. It should be blown to bits. You will be podded, join the better ship, which has far more firepower and attack. You should lose the better ship as well, get podded, and move to an even better ship you’ve placed just outside of the Sector you are Invading.

(J)

This Three/Four Ship to Invade Strategy works in the Early Part of the Game. Once Volcanics are near Max, it is not going to be lovely. It might cost you ten ships to Invade a Sector.

(K)

To know what’s happening, you often send an Ether Probe into a Sector. Wise players park fighters and mines around their Sector so the Probe doesn’t go far. If it does reach the Planet, you might judge how the Q cannons are set by the blast that takes out your probe.

(L)

Putting too many fighters into space around a planet is a bad idea. Leave the majority on the planet. They attack with better odds on world and are immune to photons.

(M)

The settings for your Quasar depend on the quantity of fuel. If you have maximum or nearly maximum fuel than 10% for a Sector might be sufficient, 20% for Atmosphere. You have to judge it. If a quasar is set to 30% Sector per shot, and it started with 40k;

1. the first shot will take 12k.
2. The second shot will be 30% of 28k, meaning 8.4k.
3. The next 30% will be 5.8k. As you can see, the decline of power so that the fifth ship, well shielded, should stand up to the blast.

(M)

The Atmospheric setting should always be the higher than the Sector setting.

(N)

In the early part of the game, many players make no Sector setting at all going for Atmospheric at 30%, meaning invaders are blown as they try to land. Warning! You haven’t played long enough to get the trends, the style of play. It’s no sense finding yourself in pod, having your planets decimated, because of a failed attack on another player.

Many Newbies who have done beautifully, will see a planet with one or two fighters and think it’s free, and be blown to bits.