Shadows Game Strategy (Full Version)

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Euler -> Shadows Game Strategy (2/1/2014 6:36:20 PM)

If you like making up your own strategies without help, this is a spoiler alert. Otherwise scroll down to see my message.
























I've been playing Shadows for a couple of months now, and I have a strategy that seems to almost always work. It short circuits the game though, so I consider it to be sort of an exploit.

What I do is build about 5 Energy research bases, research Gerax hyperdrive first (after discovering the path), then build a bunch of explorers with as long a range as possible. I manually explore systems just looking for specials. I can do this before any other empires have hyperdrive. I almost always get at least a couple of capital ships and other goodies before anyone else has the tech to build these. I then use them to conquer independents and the nearest empires, who are still usually living inside their own systems or maybe are just getting started. Pirates are a nuisance but if I have enough military ships it's not a problem. I have almost always have conquered some independents and a couple of empires by the time the 20 years is up on the victory conditions timer and I have 80% for the win. Several times I can win at 20 years or at least by 30 years.

Usually the game is just getting started. While it is nice to win, what disappoints is that the other empires seem to be quite slow getting started, many times they are still in their home system when I find them. I am not sure if the pirates are giving them too much trouble or what causes them to develop slowly.

The strategy works but is dull. I could turn off or change the victory conditions to make the game harder. I think I will try some harder settings but I want to ask players with more experience what settings they like to use on the Shadows games. Thinking of switching to normal RoTS since it seems to be better balanced for the enemy empires, although I like the way Shadows starts from ground zero.



CyclopsSlayer -> RE: Shadows Game Strategy (2/2/2014 12:59:54 AM)

Dull, but it works well for me.

Pre-Warp
Modify the Explorer to 14/15 Ion engines for speed 45+.
Delete the Small Space Port design. Modify the Medium Space Port to 18/19 of Each Lab
Modify Freighters and as size permits all other units to have 300+ Boarding strength to nullify Pirates Assault pods, 12-15 Hab Modules.
Set up initial R&D queues;
-High Tech: Energy Collector > Transport > Storage > Crew > Medical > Entertainment > Coordinated Control > Enhanced Commerce > Open Trade Networks > Medical and Entertainment Trees primary
-Energy: Energy Collection > Shields > Space Construction > Warp Bubble (or Advanced Nuclear Fission) > Adv Fission (or Warp Bubble) > Gerax > Construction and Damage Control Trees
-Weaponry: Energy Torpedoes > Star Fighters > Armor > Imp. Logistics > Imp. Defense Tactics > Imp. Assault Tactics > Armored Ground Assault > Advance these 4 trees as desired

Build Medium Space Port, buying off Pirates if necessary. Build 2 Constructors and 2 Explorers, expedite 1 to the Warp Ruins (the one with the Wrecked Ship), run the other to the second ruins if there is one or explore the system. Cancel any Protection as soon as the Port is built.
Drop Tax rate to the absolute minimum for positive cash flow. This will provide best growth rate.
As soon as the Medical and Recreation modules are researched add them to the Port design.
As they are developed and can be afforded replace all Pulse Blasters and Seeker Missiles with Torpedoes and Fighters. Add Shields as well.
As well now design a Star Base trade Outpost (2 Reactors, 5 Fighter bays, 10 Shields, Energy Collector, Recc/Med/Commerce modules, weapons/armor as you need) I then set these bases to auto build on colonization. (Having the Modules in this order provides almost immediate Fighter defense even while still being built.)

Have loaded Troop Transports ready to conquer any Independents discovered ASAP. Assimilate is better economically IMO.



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